Touché, Katie-Cakes
by Queenhaq
Summary: Post S1. She hasn't seen him since that night at Titty Twister. He's dressed in a dark suit, without glasses, and somehow taller, leaner and even more predatory than she remembers. Seth/Kate/Richie.
1. Chapter 1

Carrying a bottle of hard lemonade wrapped in a paper bag, she cuts through the parking lot to get to the small park behind the motel. A year ago she may have been wary about going to deserted spots after dark but not anymore. There is a small handgun tucked into her ankle holster to protect her against human attacks, but the supernatural ones - that's something she's still learning to cope with. But there are no vampires in this town - she and Seth have hunted for them far and wide - which means she doesn't have to worry, at least not tonight.

She sits on the empty bench, pulls out the Swiss army knife that Seth gifted her for her birthday, and uses it to pop open the cooler. She takes a sip, and immediately jumps up when she hears a rustling noise behind her. The bottle drops to the ground, and she's already pulling out the gun and turning around to aim and shoot. Immediately she pauses, speechless at the tall figure standing in front of her.

Richie.

She hasn't seen him since that night at Titty Twister. He's dressed in a dark suit, without glasses, and somehow taller, leaner and even more predatory than she remembers. He still possesses that keen stare which puts her on edge, makes her feel naked, like he can see right through her skin, bones, and into her very soul. All of a sudden she's overcome by anger, guilt, _grief_, all those emotions she struggles to suppress to get through the day.

"Are you going to lower that gun?" he asks, his voice low, intense, yet filled with wry amusement.

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"The bullets can't hurt me."

"But they'll sting like a bitch."

He cocks his eyebrow, amused. "I see your vocabulary has expanded considerably."

She shrugs her shoulders. "Side-effect of living with your brother."

Pain crosses his face, and it's the same fleeting expression she's seen on Seth whenever something reminds him of Richie.

"Why are you out here alone?" he asks.

"Worried I'll be kidnapped and held hostage? Been there, done that. Have the scars to prove it."

He ignores her biting words. "Where's Seth?"

"Back in the motel room, probably having sex with the brunette he picked up tonight. I wasn't in the mood to watch so I took off."

"Aren't you sweet?" he drawls.

"Cut the bullshit. Why are you here?"

He takes a few steps forward, she stays in place. There may be a bench between them but she knows it'll only take a second for him to rip it up and throw it aside.

His steely gaze remains fixated on her, and her heart starts racing. "Does your girlfriend know you're here?" she taunts, trying to hold on to the anger and ignore the slow spread of lust and want and need and crave that surges through her. "Did you get her permission?"

"I'm not her bitch."

"Or was she the one who sent you? If you think you can drag me back to be some kind of human sacrifice-"

"She doesn't know I'm here," he interjects.

"Not so whipped then. I guess that's something."

"You really have picked up Seth's bad habits. It's very irritating."

"So was it worth it?"

"Was what worth it?"

"Destroying so many lives, killing all those people, leaving your brother. Was _she_ worth it?"

There's a long pause before he answers. "No."

There is no hesitation, just complete certainty, and it takes her by surprise. That's not the response she expected.

"I was wrong about everything."

_"I was alone too, and when I had nothing left, she found me. She called to me and she led me here."_

She still remembers his words, how determined he was to belong, and now it's all turned into shit and her heart aches for him. She lowers the gun, places it on the bench and starts walking towards him. Warning bells go off in her head, this could be just a trick to lower her defenses, but she ignores all of that as she approaches him. He's so much more taller than her but she fits into his body perfectly when she wraps her arms around his waist to console him.

Right away, she realises it's a mistake.

What's supposed to be a gesture of comfort feels anything but as his arms circle around her, locking her in his embrace. Suddenly, she's aware of every inch of his body. Her skin feels as if its burning, her heart is pounding. Her nerves are even more overloaded when his hand roams down her spine and rests on the small of her back, his thumb stroking her skin.

He doesn't need to breathe but she feels him inhaling her in.

His heart no longer beats but she can sense the tension surging through him.

How can something this wrong feel so good, so right?

She closes her eyes, telling herself after sixty seconds she's going to pull away, but it's five minutes later and she's still curled up in his arms. Soon he shifts and his hand laces through her hair, gently at first, and then he's fisting the strands and leaning back to look into her eyes and, then, his mouth closes over hers.

It's not a sweet kiss, nor a tender one. Instead his mouth is demanding, his touch insistent, and she finds herself reciprocating his kiss with the same urgency. He moves forward, trapping her against the bench, and his hips are grinding against hers and _oh god, oh god, oh god…_

What the hell is she doing?

His mouth is pulsing against her neck, licking her skin, and she wonders for a moment if he's going to bite her, feed from her. Is that why he's here?

As if sensing her hesitation, he eases his grip on her.

She's coming undone; he's infuriatingly calm.

"Still perving on underage girls?" she huffs, hating how her insides are still quivering from that kiss.

"I'm a vampire now. This is what we do."

"You did that before becoming a vampire."

He raises his eyebrow, gives her a small smile. "Touché, Katie-cakes."

She's embarrassed to admit the way he says that ridiculous nickname of hers sends thrills down her spine. "Don't call me that."

He takes a step back, and she uses the opportunity to put some distance between them. Despite that, she can still feel his hands imprinted on her back, his mouth ravaging hers. "Why are you here?" she demands again.

"To tell you and Seth to be careful. Something's coming, something big, and I don't know how much longer I can protect the both of you."

"Protect us? We're in this mess _because_ of you and your stupid girlfriend."

His jaw clenches with frustration. "I wish I could go back, change things. But I can't."

"You can come back to us," she whispers, surprising herself. "I know Seth misses you. A lot. He doesn't talk about it but I know he's hurting."

Richie shakes his head 'no'. "I started this, I have to end it." He levels her with a piercing stare. "And you need to be careful, from vampires _and_ hunters. They're not too happy with you right now."

"Why? Was I supposed to let myself be sacrificed to the gods?"

"Yes, according to them."

"I guess I'm going to have to start sleeping around then. Don't want anyone to get ideas about targeting me again."

He tilts his head back, looking entirely too arrogant. "You could work your way through every whorehouse in Mexico and the Gods would still want you. It's not about virginity, Kate. It's about purity of the soul."

"And how do I get rid of that?"

"You can't. It's a part of you."

The silence is palpable as they stare at each other intently. There are so many things she wants to ask him, but she doesn't. And he doesn't speak either, just watching her like he wants to consume her body and soul. "You looked better with your glasses," she says when the tension becomes almost unbearable.

A hint of a smirk plays across his face. "Goodbye, Kate."

"You're not even going to talk to Seth?"

He shakes his head 'no'. "It's better this way."

"Will I see you again?"

"Do you want to?"

"I don't know. A part of me hates you, and there's this other part that…" she pauses, unsure of what to say.

"What?" he probes.

"Wonders how things would be if you hadn't chosen Santanico."

"I would still be the guy who held you hostage."

His words sink in, and her gaze shifts to the open space behind him. "We're screwed either way."

"I'm sorry, about everything."

"Too little too late, Richie."

"I know."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Neither have you." He peers at her closely. "Do you want to see me again?"

She wants to, _oh god_ she wants to, but Seth would take it as a betrayal and right now he's the only family she has. "No."

"Alright."

One second he's standing in front of her, the next he's gone and she's staring into thin air.

She returns to the bench, picks up the bottle of lemonade and chugs it down, but the liquor doesn't numb her or dull her thoughts. In the end, she still remembers the haunted gaze in his eyes and it hurts.

* * *

**A/N - First time writing for this fandom. Hope you guys like it :)**


	2. Chapter 2

His hands are all over her, groping her, squeezing her. Kate tells herself to relax, to go with the flow, but it's impossible when nothing about this feels good. _Too much, too soon, too hard_. And nothing like it did with Richie. _Richie_. His name flows over her like a tidal wave, bringing with it all kinds of feelings and desires she'd rather not think about. Once again she orders herself to forget him and focus on the task at hand. Andrew. Blond-haired blue-eyed boy next door type she met at the bar a few days ago, a college freshman the old Kate would have crushed on hard. Here for spring break, he asked her out earlier today and now here they are in her car, his lips on her neck, his hands mauling her breasts. She wants to be swept away and feel the brightening burning intensity her body craves after the last encounter with Richie, but with Andrew it's not the same, not even close, and, frankly, she's done trying. His hands are on her shorts, struggling to undo the buttons when she finally speaks up. "Andrew, stop."

He ignores her, his fingers starting to pull down on her zipper. "You're so hot."

She pushes him away firmly, taking him by surprise. "I said _stop_."

"You're a fucking tease, you know that?"

"Get out of my car!"

"I don't think so. You don't just get to change your mind after you've been teasing me all night." Suddenly he shifts forward and tries to grab her arm but thanks to a few tricks she's picked up from Seth, her gun is out and pointed at him in a matter of seconds.

"Psycho bitch!" Andrew yells, frightened and angry as he cowers against the door.

"Really? You're going to insult me when I have a gun on you? Are you really that much of an idiot?"

Muttering something under his breath, he scurries out of the car and quickly runs away.

Resting the gun on the passenger seat, she leans back and closes her eyes. _It's not about virginity. It's about purity of the soul. _She scoffs, thinking back to the words Richie said to her a few weeks ago. Bullcrap, all of it. The sooner she has sex with someone and gets rid of this virgin tag hanging over her head, the quicker other hunters will stop trying to make a human sacrifice out of her, and then maybe she and Seth can stop fighting everyone else and just focus on the vampires.

Her phone rings; she doesn't need to glance at the screen to know who it is. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" Seth barks from the other end.

"In the park."

"By yourself?"

"I am now."

"What the fuck are you doing there?"

"Trying to get laid."

"Preppie Andie wouldn't splurge on a motel room for you?"

"Yeah well, I didn't want it to feel cheap."

"So naturally you picked the park to be devirginised. Good call."

"Shut up," she mutters, kicking herself for telling Seth about her plans.

"You could've just used our room," he points out.

"With you there? Watching us like a hawk? No thanks."

"Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart. I have better things to do than watch some kid spear your Britney."

"Ew." Disgusted, she shudders. "What do you want? Why are you calling me?"

"Is the deed done?"

She exhales a deep sigh. There is something so deeply wrong about Seth interrogating her about her sex life, but she knows there is no point in getting mad at him. It's not his fault. It's not even hers. If there's anyone to blame, it's Carlos. And that stupid Santanico. And Richie. "No. I am, _unfortunately_, still prime sacrifice material." She waits for the inevitable disappointment in his tone but there isn't any.

"Whatever. Get back here. We have to pack up and leave by tonight."

"Why? What's the rush?"

"I got wind of some news. Something big is going down a few towns over."

The hesitancy in his tone is enough for her to know he's lying through his teeth. "More hunters are here, aren't they? They're looking for me."

"Kate, I don't have time for this shit."

"For what, telling me the truth? So we're lying to each other now?"

"What the fuck is going on with you? Are you PMSing or something?"

"You're such a jerk!"

"I'm a lot more than that, princess. Now pop a few goddamn Midols and get your ass back here. _Pronto_."

The phone goes dead. She contemplates throwing it against the door but realises the satisfaction will only last a minute; it isn't worth losing a phone over. Taking a deep breath, she starts the car.

* * *

She pulls into the motel parking lot, grabs her bag, and slips out of the car. Their room is on the fourth floor, the very top, and she's about to make the climb up when she feels someone's eyes on her. Instinctively she grabs the gun and turns around.

Once again, he's managed to catch her by surprise. _Richie_. Standing a few feet away, he's watching her intently, like always.

"You really need to stop pointing guns at me," he remarks, a sardonic expression on his face.

"Then stop sneaking up on me." Tearing her gaze away from him, she slips the gun back in the bag. _Breathe. Just breathe_. Her insides ache from looking at him, her body suddenly a taut live wire, and she chastises herself for being an idiot. "If it makes you feel any better, you're the second guy I threatened to kill tonight."

There seems to be a sudden shift in his demeanor but his face is half-hidden in shadows, causing her to wonder if it's simply a figment of her imagination.

"Who was the first?"

"Don't worry. I took care of him."

"Leaving a trail of bodies behind you now?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "Live like a Gecko, kill like a Gecko."

There is a brief pause, maybe even a hint of smile before he continues. "You didn't answer my question. Who's your latest victim?"

"Andrew. He goes to NYU. He's here for spring break."

"Sounds like a loser."

"You don't even know him."

"I know he likes to bathe in cologne. I can smell him all over you."

She takes a step forward, despite knowing it's a bad idea. From the very beginning there's been something undeniable between them, a mystifying bond that propels her towards him. Even after everything that's happened, that connection still exists.

His voice is restrained when he speaks again. "Do you like him?"

"Maybe."

"You should go out with him."

"I did. Tonight."

"How did it go?"

"Extremely well," she fires back, trying to goad a reaction out of him. The thought of Richie with that stupid vampire queen makes her blood boil but he doesn't appear to be even remotely bothered by the idea of her with someone else.

He steps out of the shadows, blank mask in place. "Am I to infer then you're no longer a virgin?"

"I'm getting real sick of you and your brother asking me that question."

"Sleeping around won't get you off the hunters' radars. I told you, it has nothing to do with virginity."

"I think you're full of shit. I bet the second I sleep with someone those jerks will leave me alone and find someone else to chase." She closes her eyes, exhausted. Is it too much to ask that not every bit of her life is up for discussion? Her first time is supposed to be special, private, but these days it's the elephant in the room, the one thing that's constantly on both her and Seth's mind even if they don't speak about it. And it's not like she can even blame Seth for worrying. They're partners now, they're supposed to protect each other, but with the human sacrifice label hanging over her head his life is also constantly being threatened and she has to live with that burden.

"I'm sorry."

The sincerity in Richie's tone catches her by surprise and she looks up to find him studying her with a keen gaze.

"Kate, I wouldn't lie to you. If you want to sleep with someone, fine, go ahead. But it's not going to change anything. The hunters will still come after you, and so will Carlos."

"But why?" Her voice cracks. "Why _me_?"

"Because there's something in you that's... magical. I saw it the first time I met you."

Rage flows over her, white-hot and potent. "I know you think I'm naive but I'm not stupid. The only thing special about me was that my dad had a trailer you could use. So you can stop spouting the Twilight dialogue because I'm _not_ falling for that!"

She turns around and storms towards the stairs when, suddenly, a gust of wind swirls around her and she feels Richie grabbing her from behind. His body is pressed up tightly against hers, his arms circling around her to lock her in.

"What the fuck do you want from me?" he whispers in her ear, his voice filled with quiet menace as he clings to her from behind. "I'm trying to be nice, and patient. I told you, you don't need to rush into anything but you still won't stop bitching."

"_Nice_? This is you being nice?" she bites out through clenched teeth, struggling against him. "Fuck you!"

"Don't piss me off, Kate. You won't like me when I'm pissed."

"Or what? You'll bite me? Kill me?"

"Don't tempt me."

"You know what I think? I think you're bored." Using all her strength, she turns around to face him. His eyes are burning with emotion, apathetic expression long gone. "You're bored of being a vampire, you're bored of your stupid vampire girlfriend. You keep saying you want to finish this out but you're lying. The only reason you're still with _her_ is because you're too much of a pussy to ask Seth for forgiveness." She shoves him hard. "Why don't you run back to your girlfriend and be miserable with her? Because Seth and I, we're doing just fine without you. We don't need you!"

Suddenly his mouth closes over hers, his lips snaring hers in a rough, brutal kiss.


	3. Chapter 3

The kiss is brutal, tongue raking over teeth, his mouth biting her, assaulting her, his hands fisting the back of her hair to pull her tightly against him. At first it's frightening, and too much. Their first kiss was tender, surprisingly gentle considering the horrific circumstances they met in, but now there's a ruthlessness in his touch that she's never experienced before and doesn't know how to react to. Oh, but her body does. Excitement courses through her veins like a drug. She's tripping on acid and it's the highest of the high, an absolute madness.

Her body responds instinctively, hips grinding against his, hands clawing his back as she returns his kiss with equal ferocity. A volatile bundle of nerves, that's all there's left of her, heightened senses, intensifying every second.

They move in unison, or maybe he carries her, and soon her back is pressed against a wall, her front facing him, and his mouth licks, and nips, and teases a spot on her neck that seems to be directly connected to the throbbing between her legs. It's heaven, oh god it's heaven, the way he touches her. She's never felt like this, not with Kyle, or Andrew. Only Richie.

"Tell me to stop, " he groans against her chest, the muffled sound caught between a moan and a plea.

She doesn't.

"Kate?" His voice is breathless, hoarse, and impossible since he doesn't even breathe.

Her heart's pounding in her chest; she can't speak. Closing her eyes, she lolls her head back. Her body's on fire, and the hot, sweltering night isn't helping.

"Say something," he urges, tracing a tender kiss above her right breast. Through the cotton fabric of her top, his lips sear her skin. Or maybe it just feels that way.

"Something," she whispers, opening her eyes.

He wears a small smile, and reaches out to cup her face. His thumb caresses her skin, and it feels so good, his cold hand against her burning skin. There's affection in his eyes but it quickly transitions to something more when she starts unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you doing?"

It's madness, this fever within her, and almost too painful to bear but there's hope, salvation, as long as she can touch him. Quickly she pulls out the bottom of his shirt from the waistband of his dress pants and unbuttons the rest of it, spreading it apart to reveal his naked chest.

He's muscular, more lean than bulky, and a part of her is dying to explore every inch of him, feel him pulsate under her touch, but right now, more than anything else, she's desperate for the cold sensation of his touch.

She latches onto him, her cheek on his chest, hugging him tightly. He's hard, she can feel him against her, and maybe she should be embarrassed, truthfully she is a bit, but she doesn't want to let go when he feels so good, so cold. She wants to swallow him up, drink him in.

"I'm starting to feel like a piece of meat, Kate."

She doesn't move. "I know. I'm sorry."

They stay locked in that position for a long time. He plays with her hair, draws circles on her back, and she just clings to him.

"You feel so good," she murmurs after a while.

"You're just saying that to seduce me."

"Maybe."

" I'm wise to your tricks, Sunshine."

"That's a new one. I've never been called that before."

"The light in you, that's what it reminds me of."

"Who's trying to get into whose pants now?" she teases, sensing his smile as bends down to drop a kiss on top of her head.

Her phone rings a few feet away, still in her bag from where she dropped it when he kissed her earlier.

"You should get that," he says softly.

"It's Seth calling."

"I know."

She finally pulls away to take a closer look at him. There's pain in his eyes, no matter how much he tries to hide it. It's heart-wrenching to see how similar the brothers are in their stubbornness. "Come upstairs with me. Talk to him."

"What makes you think he'll speak to me?"

"He will. Eventually. After he curses and yells for a bit."

A sad smile shapes his lips. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"You're too young to understand."

"Fuck you!" She shoves him hard, pissed at his patronising tone. "I wasn't too young a minute ago when you were groping me!"

"I seem to remember you doing the groping."

"Go to hell!" She tries to walk past him but he blocks her path, angering her more. "I would do anything to have Scott back in my life. I don't care that he's a vampire, a monster, whatever. I hate that I pushed him away before, I regret that so much. And now I don't even know where he is, how he is. if he's even alive!" Her voice cracks with tears. "Your brother is upstairs, right there!" she says, pointing to the motel. "All you have to do is go to him and make amends, but you're not even willing to do that! You have a chance to get back your family and you don't even care!"

"Why do _you_? This has nothing to do with you," Richie points out coldly.

"Excuse me? Seth is the only family I have left. I see how much pain he's in, how much not having you in his life hurts him. He'll never say it, but he's empty without you!"

"Maybe you should try and fill that void."

"Don't be an idiot, Richie." He's distant once again, locked away in a place she can't get to, but she doesn't want to give up on him. She can't. "Last time you said you made a mistake."

He shakes his head. "No, that was just nostalgia talking. Santanico is who I belong with. She's my fate. My destiny."

The pain is swift, intense. It makes her sick to her stomach to hear him admit those words. "Then why are you here now? Why do you keep bothering me?"

"I wish I knew!" he snarls, trapping her against the wall. "With her I have everything I've ever wanted. I finally belong somewhere, I'm not lost anymore. I should be happy." Tears brim in his eyes, he can't hold his emotions in any longer, and it breaks her heart to see him in so much anguish. "But I'm not."

"Because you miss Seth."

"Yeah. I do. A lot." He peers at her closely. "And you. It's ridiculous, isn't it? How do you miss someone you barely even know?"

She's asked herself the same thing many times and has yet to come up with an answer.

"But that's not really true, is it? I do know you, Kate. I see the light in you, I've seen it from the very beginning. It's like a beacon calling out to me." His index finger lingers over her bottom lip, taunting her. "All my life I've had trouble connecting with people, but not with you."

She's transfixed under his gaze, unable to move.

"I didn't have to die, I didn't even have to give up my soul. That day by the pool, it was instantaneous. Easy. How's that possible?"

She can't think, or speak.

"Maybe it was never about Santanico."

Her heart skips a beat.

"Everything I've been through, maybe it's all been leading up to you."

Her breath catches in her throat. The pull between them is magnetic, something beyond her that she can never comprehend. As his other hand slowly starts to undo her shorts, and slide the zipper down, she reaches out to lay her hands on his cold chest. The mad rush of feverish heat is starting again, and she needs the cold comfort of his skin to anchor her to safety.

"I want to taste you," he murmurs, his fingers stroking over the most intimate parts of her, through the cotton fabric of her plain pink panties. "I lay awake at morning, thinking about what you'd taste like."

There's an ache in her soul, a need that runs so deep it's palpable, but the more Richie teases her, the closer she gets to satisfaction.

"Honey, maybe," he whispers in her ear. "Sunshine. Or both."

She's wet, so wet, as his fingers delve beneath the panties, touching her _right there _and she practically jumps up in response but he's there to hold her down, his raspy voice her one connection to reality in this maddening rush of ecstasy.

"What the _fuck_ is going on here?"

Her eyes open. She pushes Richie away, pulling up her shorts. Guilt floods through her, even more so when she spots Seth rushing towards them.


	4. Chapter 4

"What the _fuck_ is going on here?"

Realising Seth has caught them red-handed, Kate pushes Richie away and quickly pulls up her shorts. Guilt flows over her, then pure unadulterated fear as Seth storms towards them. She has never seen him this angry before, not even at the Titty Twister.

"Relax, brother. It doesn't concern you."

Hearing Richie's patronising tone, she ponders smacking him herself. "Shut. Up. Richie."

"Does the fang-bitch know her lapdog is running around bumping uglies with teenage girls?"

In spite of how embarrassed she is, Kate steps up in front of Richie before Seth can get in his face. Hands pressed against Seth's chest, she struggles to keep him in check. "Seth, I swear. He wasn't hurting me."

Jaw clenched, his face filled with rage, Seth snarls at her. "I'll deal with your Judas ass later!"

Not expecting him to force her aside, she trips over her feet and falls to the ground.

"Hey, don't push her!" Richie barks.

Kate watches in horror as Seth starts shoving Richie.

"You have the gall to say that to me? I wasn't the one fucking her like a two bit whore just now."

"Why are you so upset, Seth? Did you want to trade places with me?"

"I'm not the perv here, you dead fuck!"

"But you are the prick using her as bait. Think that's any better?"

All hell breaks loose after Seth throws a mean punch across Richie's jaw. The brothers start fighting, beating and kicking each other. Running on instinct, Kate quickly makes her way towards the bag she'd dropped earlier on the ground and pulls out the gun from inside. Raising it up in the air, she fires a shot.

Startled, the Gecko brothers pause momentarily to look at her. Irritation surges through her. They're staring at her like _she's_ the crazy one when they're the ones fighting like dogs over a bone.

"Smart move, Einstein. Wake the neighbours so they can join in too," Seth grumbles.

"One more word, Seth, and I swear I'll put a bullet through your shoulder," Kate warns, glaring at them.

"Brilliant job, giving her a gun," Richie deadpans.

She makes good on her threat, fires a shot at Richie. The bullet whizzes right past him, grazing his pinky finger in the process.

"Jesus Christ! What the fuck are you doing?" Seth yells, grabbing his brother's wounded hand.

Richie cocks his eyebrow at her. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised. Chekhov's law and all that."

"He's a vampire, he'll be fine," she reminds Seth. "But you won't be if you don't shut up and listen to me." Both brothers glare at her like she's sprouted a second head from her neck. "I'm not a piece of toy for you to fight over. And this isn't even about me! You're just using me as an excuse to beat the hell out of each other. Enough's enough. I'm sick of this crap." She withdraws the gun. "Seth, why do you think he's here? It's not for me." She keeps her gaze trained on Seth, refusing to look at Richie. "This is about _you_, Seth. Richie's a stubborn jerk, just like you, and he won't admit he made a mistake when he picked her. But he did. He messed up, and now he's trying to make things right even if he's going about it in a really stupid way."

"That's not-"

"Shut up, Richie!" Kate interjects. "Seth, I know you're angry. You're hurting but he's here now, he's standing _right there_. No matter what he's said or done, he's still family. And he loves you."

"Stop with the Dr. Phil routine. I ain't got time for this shit," Seth fires back, starting to walk away.

"See what I'm dealing with here?" Richie adds.

"Then make time!" Kate yells simultaneously, pushing herself in front of Seth. "Because you're not coming back up to that room until you make peace with Richie."

Clutching her bag, she turns around and heads towards the stairs.

* * *

A thumping noise startles her awake. It takes a few seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the surroundings and she realises the other bed is empty, she's alone in the room . A quick glance at the radio-clock reveals it's past two in the morning. It's been almost three hours since she left Seth and Richie alone.

Eyes glued to the ceiling, she ponders what the Gecko brothers are up to. Maybe they're still fighting in the parking lot, but she doubts that. It wouldn't exactly be a fair fight considering Richie has supernatural strength on his side. Even earlier when Seth was provoking his brother, Richie was holding back. Maybe they're at the bar, drowning their sorrows in tequila. Another possibility enters her brain - the strip club located a few miles down the road - but she refuses to dwell on it. Nope, nope, nope. The idea of Richie with other women, naked women, dancing all over him, grinding against him, burns her up with jealousy. The memory of Santanico dancing for Richie and that awestruck expression on his face is still etched into her brain. She doesn't want to think about it or relive through that ever again.

The door opens and Seth stumbles inside, tripping over himself as he enters the room. He reeks of alcohol, cigarettes and weed - a stomach churning combination. She quickly gets up, heads towards him. Helping him rise to his feet, she moves him to the bed.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

His shoulders droop down, his head hung low. "Do you care?"

"Of course I do. How can you ask me that?"

He turns to look at her.

"It's either me or him, princess. You gotta choose," he says, his words slurred.

"What?"

His hand awkwardly curves around the back of her head. "I'm done with him, he's dead to me. So if you want to stick with me, you gotta cut him loose. Simple as that."

Her heart sinks with disappointment. They didn't reconcile. She wonders if they even spoke after she took off.

"Can't have your cake and eat it too, Katie-cakes."

Seth only calls her that when he's extremely angry or trying to provoke her into an argument. Either way, she knows her attempts to get him to talk to his brother failed miserably. "You can't just cut Richie out of your life."

"Can't I? He's a fucking liar! I gave up everything for him, _everything_, and he left me to be a minion for that viper-bitch queen!" Seth bites out. His brown eyes narrow onto her face, peering at her closely. "He's not here for me, or you, he wants something. Something big. And he's playing us both to get it."

She shakes her head. "No, he wouldn't do that."

He sneers. "Think you're an expert on him now? Why? 'cause he knows how to find your g-spot and get you off?"

"Don't be disgusting!"

"Then don't be a fucking idiot!" he snaps. "Me or him. Pick."

"You!" she screams. "You, okay? I pick you. You're all I have. You're my only family now. So there is no fucking choice when it comes to you and Richie. Because it'll always be you!"

For so long he's kept the hurt bottled up, hiding the pain of losing his brother behind anger and other distractions, but now his eyes brim with tears, the dam threatening to collapse, and he can't contain the despair any longer. His face crumbles, she draws him closer. His head rests on her lap, his tears streaking his face, down to her skin, and she holds him in her arms. His sobs are heart-wrenching, a painful reminder of the keen loss of her own father and brother.

It's a long time before he falls asleep, and even longer before she does.


	5. Chapter 5

The sun is scorching hot, the heat stifling as Seth drives down the open road. Sitting next to him in their pickup truck, her legs dangling out the window, Kate keeps her eyes closed as old school Britney Spears plays in the stereo. Normally he mocks her taste in music but this morning he actually asked her to pick a CD - even though he was the one driving. From the occasional miserable grunts coming from him though, she gathers he's regretting that decision, but he has yet to change the music.

Lately he's been quiet, reserved, and even considerate - which is so not like him. She's used to Seth teasing her, ragging on her, but these days there's only awkwardness between them, almost as if he's too embarrassed to be himself after breaking down in her arms.

A week has passed since that night but it's still fresh in her mind. His devastation, the despair reverberating from him, her heart aches just thinking about all that pain. And it wasn't just about him, the grief they shared was a cathartic experience for her too, especially after a year of mourning in private.

At first it was a blessing that Seth was hell-bent on avoiding discussing anything that involved Richie, or her family, after they drove away from Titty Twister. Once the numbness wore off, however, and the true loss of everyone she loved finally hit, she began to yearn for anything to keep the memories of them alive, even through something simple as sharing a story. But she knew it was hard for Seth to go down memory lane - it always led back to Richie for him - and so she grieved away from his prying eyes.

After last week, a part of her hoped they could be more open with each other now. Unfortunately, he seems even more distant these days.

"You awake, Princess?"

She pretends to sleep but opens her eyes right away when he starts tinkering with the radio. "Hey, I thought I was picking the music."

"There's only so much of this shit I can take."

"Don't act like you don't like it. I heard you humming to 'hit me baby one more time'!"

"In my defence, I thought it was 'fuck me baby'."

"Liar."

For the moment at least, everything feels normal again, the easy camaraderie between them still alive and thriving. "You still haven't told me where we're going."

"Tijuana."

"Why? The _culebras_ avoid that area."

"There's something big going on."

"What?" His refusal to answer automatically arouses her suspicion. "What's going on?"

"Can we hash out the details later? I still have a bitch of a hangover and Britney Fucking Spears isn't exactly helping."

"Whose idea was it to get wasted before a trip, huh? Because I seem to remember telling you not to go to the bar last night."

"Zip it. If I wanted a nagging wife, I'd still be married."

"Oh, please. You expect me to really believe that? Who would put up with you?"

"Vanessa." An appreciative whistle escapes his lips. "The sexiest woman I've ever laid eyes on."

Kate peers at him closely. "You're serious."

"Goddamn, the things she could do with her-"

"Ew. I don' want to hear this."

"Mind. I was gonna say mind."

"Sure you were."

He smirks. "She was a smart girl. Had a real talent for planning jobs."

"Where is she now?"

"Somewhere far away hopefully. Probably cursing my existence."

"Probably," she teases. "So what happened? Why didn't things work out?"

Seth shrugs his shoulders. "Too alike, too stubborn. You know how it is."

"Do you still love her?"

He hesitates, and she wonders if she crossed a line asking him that. She's dying of curiosity about this part of his life because, frankly, she'd always assumed Seth and Richie were too dependent on each other to ever need anyone else.

Richie. Right away something stirs deep within her soul, a gnawing ache for something she doesn't even understand. The sensation of his hands on her body is ingrained into her brain, the way his fingers-

_Nope, nope, nope._

She chastises herself immediately for going down that train of thought. She promised Seth Richie was off-limits and she intends to keep her word. Seth is her family, and Richie is just... nothing.

Realising Seth never answered her question, she debates probing for more but changes her mind. She doesn't want to push her luck.

"We got married in Vegas," he says after a while. "Old Vegas, not the strip."

"Was it romantic?"

"Kinda. We couldn't keep our hands off each other throughout the ceremony."

"Did you write your own vows?"

"Do I look like a loser?" he retorts.

"Whatever. I think that's sweet."

"Sexy always trumps sweet. Remember that."

She whacks his arm. "Jerk."

"Feel like taking over?" he asks, pointing at the steering wheel.

"Only if you keep your mouth shut so I can get some peace," she teases him.

He smirks, pulling their truck over to the side of the road. "But no more of this Britney shit."

"Fine with me. I'm in the mood for some Miley Cyrus anyway."

He groans out loud in response.

* * *

The bar is filled with obnoxious people and their raucous laughter, Seth's the loudest of them all. He's doing shots with the college boys, flirting with the girls while Kate sits in one corner of the room, watching him with concern. They've been in Tijuana for two days now and Seth's been partying every night, living it up like he doesn't have a care in the world, but she knows underneath the jovial facade there's something troubling him. There are moments she's caught him staring at her, a furious stench of desperation simmering in his eyes, but every time she prods him for answers he brushes her off like she's nuts. Something's wrong, she can feel it in her bones, but he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to spill his secrets, or even go hunting for _culebras_ for that matter. Whatever big that was supposed to happen seems to have fizzled upon their arrival, and a part of her wonders if there was even something to worry about. Had he lied to her?

"Kate, come here!" he yells from a few tables down, gesturing wildly for her to join him and his new friends.

She shakes her head 'no'. "I'm fine." Irritation surges through her when he swaggers over to her, tequila bottle in hand. He slams it down on the table, oblivious to the liquid splashing on her, and slides his chair up close.

"Why so sour, Katie-cakes? What's bothering you?"

She ponders asking him why he's wasted, _again_, but decides against it. Having a conversation about his drinking habits when he's drunk would be a futile move on her part. "I'm fine. Can we just leave now?"

"No, I'm having a blast. So would you if you removed that pole from up your ass."

She purses her lips, refusing to argue with him when he's in this state.

"You know what you need?" he asks.

"For you to be sober?"

"You need to get laid!" He whacks the table with his palm, sneering at her. "Full-on, the whole shebang."

She gets up to leave but he grabs her arm, forces her to sit down. She's seen him drunk before but he's never behaved like this. The glint in his eyes is malicious, as is the deliberately cruel way with which he mocks her.

"I mean, look at this place. It's a sausage buffet!" He tilts his head. "Unless you're still hung up on Richie." He leans forward, wrapping his arm around her shoulder to pull her close. "Is that it, Ice Queen? You waiting for Junior Gecko to pop that extra fresh cherry of yours?"

"Fuck off!" She pushes him off and quickly gets up, too upset to deal with whatever's gotten into him. With quick strides she exits the bar but Seth catches up to her easily, bottle still in hand.

"Hate to break it to you, Princess." He takes a swig, swiping his mouth with the other hand. "But Richie ain't all that interested in breaking you in. He's having way too much fun eating out Viper Fang-queen."

"What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Maybe I'm tired of putting my life on the line for you. You ever think about that?"

She stops midstride, shocked. "You're being an idiot right now."

"Or maybe I'm finally being honest." He steps forward, not a hint of intoxication in his eyes. "I'm tired of looking over my shoulder, always wondering which fucktard will use me for target practice next. It's not me they want, it's _you_. So why should I be the one in the line of fire?"

"You're the one who got us into this! You and your brother!"

"Nah, babe. The wheels were set in motion way before I got involved. All they wanted was Richie, and _you_. The rest of us? Me, the padre, Scott, we were all just collateral damage."

His words are drenched with ugliness, filled with a kind of hatred she's not used to from him. She wants to scream, hit him until he feels the same pain he just unleashed upon her, but she has to remind herself that this isn't the real Seth standing in front of her. He's angry about something, wasted, and purposely trying to provoke her - probably to distract himself from his own worries. As much as she loves him, she can't be around him when he's acting like this or she's going to lose it completely. "If this is how you really feel, then we'll talk about it. Tomorrow. When you're sober. But I'm not putting up with you when you're like this. Don't come back to the room tonight. I don't want to see you there."

"And where am I supposed to stay?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out."

She's already a few feet away when his voice calls out to her from behind. "I guess this is goodbye then, Fuller."

"Go to hell!"

Turns out he really meant it, because the next morning she wakes up to a roll of bills lying next to the car keys on the nightstand table, along with a text message from him.

_"I'm sorry. I just can't do this anymore."_

Her heart sinks; she knows he's gone.


	6. Chapter 6

_Oye Linda!" _

_"Bonita, Bonita. Que tal?" _

Kate ignores the catcalls from the drunken group of guys outside of the bar and keeps moving toward the motel. Their voices grow increasingly closer, she can hear them following her. Two weeks ago she would have already had her gun out and pointed at them; now, she keeps walking. Truthfully, she's not even sure if there's a weapon in her bag.

Suddenly a pair of hands grip her arm tightly, yanking her around. There are two men leering at her, their intent clear on their faces. To them she's something to be used and discarded, and instantly she regrets her previous ambivalence. Following her instincts she knees the one closest to her in the groin, shoves the other, and then starts running. Fear rushes through her as they chase her down the road, yelling things at her she doesn't understand.

All of a sudden, it goes deathly quiet. There are no more footsteps following behind her.

She looks over her shoulder, and is stunned to discover both men on the ground, their bodies twisted into mangled shapes. Slowing down, she comes to a stop. Her heart is pounding in her chest, she struggles to catch her breath.

"I never took you for an idiot, Kate."

She looks up to find Richie standing a few feet away, watching her with contempt. Anger rages in his eyes, a dark storm threatening to erupt.

"There are vampires after you, hunters stalking your every move. And you decide to go on a midnight stroll without any weapons?"

Filled with mixed emotions, she stares at him silently.

"What the fuck were you thinking, Kate?"

He's mad, agitated, but it pales in comparison to how she's feeling. How dare _he_ speak to her like that? After all the stupid things he's done? Richie and his brother have turned her world upside-down repeatedly, and just when she thought she'd found some stability, a semblance of a real life again, Seth took off, leaving her completely lost and alone in this world.

The pain that runs through her is sharp, almost paralysing, a physical manifestation of the devastating heartbreak that haunts her. She grips the sides of her waist, takes a deep breath in.

"Are you okay?" Richie asks, his voice much softer now.

"I'm fine!" Clenching her teeth through the pain, she watches him angrily. Even in this heat he's dressed impeccably in a suit, like he's about to do a cover shoot for a magazine. He's untroubled, coasting through an undead existence with the love of his life, while Kate's entire world is spiralling out of control and falling apart. Bitterness flows through her, the sensation so strong it burns her throat, her heart, and she wants to scream, yell, anything to end this agonizing hurt.

"Really? Then why do you have a death wish?"

"That's none of your business, is it?"

"What are you still doing here?" Richie demands, closing some of the distance between them. "I thought you would have left Mexico by now."

"And go where exactly?" she fires back. "I don't have a home anymore, remember? Or a family. I thought I had Seth, and even he took off. But I guess you know that already, don't you?"

Guilt flashes across his face, but it's quickly replaced with irritation. "It's not safe for you here."

She scoffs. "I don't care." Arms crossed over her chest, she walks past him, ignoring the piercing glare of his eyes.

"Kate," he calls her name.

She quickens her stride.

"Kate!"

She ignores him, keeping her attention focused straight ahead when he catches up to her in a matter of seconds.

"I know you're hurting right now-"

She shoves him hard, filled with terrifying rage. "Don't you dare pretend like you know what I'm feeling, what I'm going through! You have no fucking clue what it's like to be all alone. You've always had Seth, and now you have your stupid stripper girlfriend. Me? My mom preferred dying than being alive for us, I killed my father, and my brother..." Her voice cracks. "Scott would rather be a soulless vampire than be with his family!" Tears streak down her face; she feels overcome by despair. Her body starts trembling, no matter how hard she tried to remain calm. "All I had left in this world was Seth. He was _everything_ to me. And even he left."

Richie attempts to put his arms around her, console her, but she struggles against him, pushing him away, hitting him.

Silent but firm, he overpowers her to hold her tight in his arms, hugging her tightly until she's too exhausted to fight back.

It's a long time before her body stops shaking with rage, before she can actually breathe without breaking into sobs. His fingers run through her hair, tugging gently, his lips graze her forehead, and she finds herself leaning into him, returning his embrace.

"I'm the one who convinced him to leave," Richie confesses after a long time.

She pulls away. Even though his words don't really come as a surprise, not after pondering over every possible reason Seth could have left, it still hurts like hell.

"With you he's a constant target, his life will always be in danger, and I can't have that." There's no uncertainty in Richie's words. He doesn't regret what he did, not at all. "I have to keep him safe, and the only way to do that is to keep him away from you."

She stares up at him blankly. "Then why are _you_ here? If I'm such a threat, then why don't you stay the _fuck_ away from me?"

His face is an empty canvas, free of any emotions.

"You think you're the only one who loves Seth? You're not. I love him too," she whispers.

"Then you should be happy he's gone."

"Fuck you!" she snaps at his condescending tone.

"Are you in love with him?"

She averts her gaze, suddenly finding it very hard to breathe.

"Are you?" he probes again.

She replies with the most honest answer she's capable of. "Probably."

"Do you love me?"

Her gaze narrows at him. "You have no right to ask me that."

"But I'm asking. Do you love me?"

"No."

The air is thick with tension, his blue eyes penetrating right through to her core.

"You're a fucking liar."

Richie fists the back of her hair and pulls her close against him.


	7. Chapter 7

Kate's senses seem to be on overdrive whenever Richie is close, but it's nothing to compared to how much more intense everything gets when his hands are on her body, touching her, stroking her, his mouth claiming hers. He kisses her like a dying man desperate for a lifeline; she knows exactly how that feels. Her knees weaken, her insides turn into liquids, and all that remains of her is a throbbing bundle of nerves.

She's pressed up against him, so tight she can't even breathe. His hands clutch her back, picking her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Oh god, there's that mad rush of fever again, elevating her body temperature until it feels like she's burning from the inside out.

There is no pain, no anguish, just pure, potent lust and the need to connect in a way that leaves her completely unhinged.

Her back is against a wall, the door handle digging into her skin, and it finally occurs to her they're back at the motel. She doesn't even remember getting here. He fumbles with her bag to pull out the key card, somehow still managing to trace his lips down the column of her neck, nipping her skin, teasing it . They stumble into the room backwards, clutching each other. The cold air blasting from the AC unit is a welcome respite from the heat of his touch that courses through her veins.

She unbuttons his jacket, sliding it past his shoulders. He drops her on the bed closest to the window, finally tearing his mouth away from her.

She stares up at him, startled to find him so... crazed. His sharp blue eyes are darkened, troubled, his hair no longer slicked back thanks to her busy fingers constantly running through them. He doesn't need to breathe but he's heaving, and she wonders if it's simply a habit back from when he was still human. There is so much uncertainty in his face, even fear, and it's both unsettling and comforting to see that he's as affected as her.

There's pressure on her hands, increasingly tightening; she realises it's because Richie's gripping her wrists, holding her arms tightly above her head. Then, out of the blue he's withdrawn, distant. He was right here a second ago, but now appears to be a million miles away. "Richie?" she whispers, hoping her voice will lead him back to her.

"Richard." Still perched above, and once again attentive. he peers down at her. "Call me Richard."

"But I like Richie."

His gaze softens, reminding her of a lost little boy in desperate need of comfort. Easing his grasp he lies down on her, his head tucked against her breasts, his body heavy atop hers. She cradles him in her arms, playing with his hair. It doesn't escape her notice they're both staring at Seth's empty bed.

"Seth calls me Richard when he's pissed off or frustrated," he says, finally breaking the silence.

"I know."

"Don't be upset with him. Be mad at me."

She stiffens. "Seth is not a child; he made the decision to leave. And you gave him the push he needed. You're both assholes as far as I'm concerned."

Richie climbs up her body, fingers playing with the long strands of her hair while his eyes remain locked on hers. She swallows an audible breath, feeling his hips grind down on hers. He's hard, and she's scared.

"Do you want him back?" he asks.

"Yes."

"Even though you think he abandoned you?"

Unable to hold his stare, her attention trails downs to his lips. "You never give up on the people you love. You just have to find a way to forgive them and move past it." When her eyes finally drift up to meet his, the expression on his face gives her pause. The way he's admiring her reminds Kate a lot of how her daddy used to look at mom - with a sense of wonderment, love, pride that she'd chosen to be with him.

It doesn't make any sense for Richie to feel this way; frankly, it makes her anxious.

"I don't understand how you do that, how you can forgive people so easily," he murmurs.

His eyes linger on her, taking her in, and it makes her feel extraordinary, like she's something to be cherished. Her stomach is aflutter with butterflies at the genuine awe in his voice.

"You have such a big heart, and this amazing ability to forgive." His lips trace the curve of her bottom lip, as light as a feather. "And that's why they'll always come after you. There's so much good in you, you glow with it, and it shines through for everyone to see. They want to grab it, take it for themselves. They never want to let you go."

"The people I love don't seem to share that sentiment."

He shifts up, levels her with a blank stare. "Can you stop with the pity party?"

How he could be so warm and gentle one second and an absolute jerk the next she has no idea. "You're an arrogant son of a bitch, you know that?"

"I have every reason to be."

"Shut up."

Suddenly he pulls away, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She sits up, confused, watching as he reaches for his jacket. "What, you can dish it out but you can't take it?"

He looks over his shoulder at her. "I need to eat."

"Oh." Nervous, she bites her bottom lip. "Didn't you feed on those two guys earlier?"

"The assholes who had every intention of raping you? No. I didn't. I'm extremely picky about my food and I don't want my system filling up with nasty cretins."

As he slips into his jacket, panic unfurls in her stomach at the thought of being left alone again. "Don't go. Please."

"I'll be back. I promise." He walks to the door.

Spotting the earnestness in his eyes, she smiles with relief, but then it occurs to her he's about to take an innocent life to satisfy his hunger. Guilt surges through her. "How much blood do you need?"

"Not a lot, but it's different for every vampire."

"How come?"

He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know."

"Didn't Santanico tell you why?"

There is a hard glint in his eyes and Kate knows she crossed a line.

"I don't want to talk about her."

Although relieved he won't be killing anyone, she's still not sure of the pain involved. "Does it hurt when you feed from someone?"

"Does it hurt _them_? Yes, if I want it to." He quirks his eyebrow. "I can be gentle, or I can rip someone's throat out. Depends on my mood."

"It looked so painful at the Twister."

"Well, that was a massacre. I try and avoid those now. They're a waste of time."

"The people you feed on, do they turn into vampires?"

"No. I have to _want_ to turn someone, and I'm always careful not to do that. There are enough vampires running around in this place without me adding to the bastard population." He teases her with a smile. "Can we play twenty questions after I come back? I'm starving."

"You can have my blood," she declares, much to her own surprise. From the stunned expression on his face, he's shocked as well.

"Why would you say that? Are you worried I'm going to take off and not come back?"

"No, you promised you would. I believe you."

"Then why, Kate? I know it scares you, you find the whole thing disgusting. So why the offer to be my midnight snack?

She'd assumed a vampire's heart no longer beats, but she doesn't really know for sure. Closing the distance between them, she reaches up to touch the spot where his heart resides, but he stiffens immediately. Rigid, and even defensive, he glares at her with animosity, making her wonder why such a tender gesture puts him on edge. "There's so much I don't know about you. Who you were as a human, who you _are_ as a vampire. I feel like if you..." Her voice trails off, unsure if he'll mock her for her sentimentality.

"If I what?"

"If you drink from me, it's something that will connect us together. I want to understand you, be a part of you, and maybe this is a good way to start that."

"You're not just saying this to manipulate me?"

"No, of course not." She cradles his face in her hands. "I'm not gonna lie to you. It did disgust me. The fangs, all that blood spurting out, the whole thing grossed me out."

"It won't be like that." His mouth shapes into a cocky smile. "I'm neat, and a lot more civilised."

"I trust you."

He starts unbuttoning his jacket, his keen gaze fixated on her. A sharp thrill of excitement runs through her body when his hands grab her behind to pick her up. With her legs curved around his waist, he carries her back to bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Richie places her on the edge of the bed, gently, like she's a fragile doll or something, and kneels down in front of her. Hands intertwined, they remain in place, unmoving, enthralled with each other. Despite his earlier declarations about starving, he doesn't seem to be in any hurry to feed, instead studying her with an intensity that makes her toes curl. At long last he leans forward, taking a few strands of her hair, smoothing it between his fingers, tucking it in behind her ear. Light as a feather his fingertips caress down the length of her neck, lingering on the incredibly sensitive spot which connects to her shoulder. Taking in the stark desire on his face, she trembles, finding it hard to breathe.

His voice is raw, tense, when he speaks. "Take off your top."

"Why?"

He cocks his eyebrow. "Because I don't want to mess it up."

Feeling foolish for assuming he meant something more, a heated blush spreads across her cheeks. "Oh."

"And because I want to see you naked."

Her heart starts racing wildly in her chest, fingers shaking as she pulls the eyelet fabric over her shoulder. She sets it aside, her stomach coiled into tight knots, nervous, afraid, yet also strangely excited at the thought of what's coming next. His breaths grow shallow, his blue eyes darken, but he doesn't say anything, do anything, simply watching her like a predator lying in wait for its prey, his gaze fixated on her breasts. He seems mesmerised by the sight of her and she isn't sure why. It's not like he hasn't seen her like this before, the first day they met at the pool she was actually wearing much less, but maybe because things are so different between them now, they've shared experiences that have changed both their lives - and Seth's - that it makes sense this moment feels special, extraordinary even.

If only she was wearing a prettier bra.

"You're beautiful," he whispers, looking at her.

"I bet you say that to all the girls."

A wry smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "Only the ones I can't stop thinking about."

One hand snakes around to pull her forward while the other brushes the remaining strands of her hair over her shoulder. He leans in, his lips blow a hushed, cold breath on her skin, and all of a sudden her senses are on high alert, taut, every nerve in her body heightened with anticipation.

Pain shoots through her the moment his fangs pierce into her delicate skin, the sensation sharp and biting, and she gasps, clinging to him for comfort. It's unsettling, awkward and she's almost about to ask him to stop when he gently nudges her backward, forcing her to lie down. Maybe it's the change in position, or simply her body becoming accustomed to the strangeness of his mouth sucking on her, but the discomfort rapidly shifts to something more potent, raw. Something quite close to ecstasy. White-hot heat spreads through her, spooling between her legs, and her body arches against him, aching for something she doesn't quite understand.

He removes his mouth from her skin for a minute but she protests, tightening her legs around his waist, refusing to let him go.

"So you don't want me to stop?"

Breathless, she shakes her head 'no'.

Drops of blood drip down her chest and he laps it up with his tongue. A true expression of euphoria covers his face, like he's just experienced the most delicious thing in the world.

He moves up, hovering above her, fangs retracted but her blood still staining his lips. It shouldn't be hot, but it is, and she shouldn't like him when he looks so savage, but she does. Pressing her fingers against his lips, she peers at him closely. "What do I taste like?"

"Sweet." He teases her with a chaste kiss on the lips. "Like the richest chocolate you can imagine." He nips her jaw. "Pure decadence."

She smiles up at the ceiling while he trails wet kisses down her chest. "I like that."

"And then it changes, becomes more tart."

"Really? That doesn't sound good."

"Oh, it is. It's amazing, and just when I think I've gotten used to the tartness, you taste like vanilla, and honey."

"I sound like a dessert table."

He chuckles, dipping his tongue into her navel. "Blood tastes different, depending on where you drink it from."

"Really?" she whispers, feeling that familiar ache between her legs again.

"Yeah." His hands pause on the button of her shorts; he nudges her to look at him and she meets his stare, transfixed by the desire in them. "I want to taste every part of you."

Her throat goes dry. Unable to speak, she guides his fingers to unzip her shorts.

It's amazing how swiftly he moves when he wants. Within seconds, her shorts are thrown to the floor and he's easing down between her thighs to kneel on the ground.

One second her head is filled with nervous anticipation, the next she's incapable of any thought, let alone coherency as he feeds from an extremely sensitive spot in her inner thigh. She's simply a vessel of pure pleasure, desperate and moaning for more. Her body writhes with need, her fingers fisting the sheets to alleviate the pressure that's quickly unfurling in her stomach, The feeling of ecstasy grows stronger, more keen, until she thinks it's finally reached fever pitch but then somehow manages to exceed in intensity, again and again.

"Whiskey," he murmurs, sipping the blood from her thigh ever so gently. "Decades old."

He shifts. Fearing he's about to stop, she throws her leg over him, holding him tightly in place.

His fingers start to stroke her over her panties while he drinks from her, and she practically jumps up, unused to so much stimulation.

Oh god, he's good. He's great, and she doesn't know what he's doing but she never wants it to stop. His fingers play her like a guitar, smooth, melodic, downstrokes and upstrokes, while his mouth caresses her, licks her, and it's all too much, too strong, too fast.

Suddenly, everything goes black.


	9. Chapter 9

The woman sitting across from Kate may bear a striking resemblance to Jenny Fuller, but something about her evokes a strong fear within Kate. For one thing half of the woman's face is rotting off, her hair and nails decaying, then there's the fact she's nothing like the lovely and vibrant human being Kate knew her mom to be. Instead this woman is a corpse, empty and lifeless.

All of a sudden the woman looks up, locks eyes with Kate and there's a fierceness there which is terrifying. Kate wants to walk away but she can't, she doesn't even have the willpower to _look_ away.

"Why are you doing this? This is wrong. _Wrong_! Don't you know that? What's wrong with you, Kate?"

"What do you mean?" Kate asks, reaching out to hold the woman's hand but the corpse slaps her hand away, as if disgusted by her touch.

"It can never be. It's _wrong_. Don't you get that?"

_Wrong. Wrong. Wrong._

The words get louder and louder, growing into a chant, echoing throughout the room. The shrill voice is deafening, forcing Kate to cover her ears. "Stop! Please stop. I don't understand what you mean!"

The walls start to bleed, there's blood gushing out of the floor.

One minutes she's cowering in front of her mom's corpse, the next she's floating in a pool. Liquid, red liquid, surrounds her. Blood. She's covered in blood, submerged in it, the taste of it strong in her mouth. She starts choking, screaming for help.

At long last there's a familiar voice in the horizon, yelling her name. She's drowning, he's too far away, but then there's an arm reaching below the water, pulling her to the surface.

It's Richie. He's saving her. But then his face morphs into Seth's.

She's disoriented, confused, clinging to him as he drags her out of the water.

They're no longer by the pool. Instead she finds herself relaxing in a black bikini, lying on the warm sand, under the hot sun, in complete bliss. Seth's grinning down at her, an amused expression covering his beautiful face as he taps her nose.

"Better ways to get my attention than fake a drowning, Princess."

Balancing herself on her elbows, she gives him a soft smile. "I wasn't faking it."

Seth smirks. "Damn fucking right. You'll never have to fake it with me."

"Leave the girl alone, Jackass. Can't you see she's not in the mood?"

Richie's amused voice reaches her ears, and she looks to her right to find him approaching them. He's wearing an easy, cheerful smile that is so unlike him. Her heart starts beating rapidly, her body getting hot under his loving gaze as he draws closer. He looks so different, so normal, in an open shirt and a pair of cargo pants that lay low on his hips. His body is long, lean, athletic, and her gaze is automatically drawn to the contours of his abs, the way his hip bones taper into a V-shape. That oh-so-familiar ache returns, the need for something more coursing through her veins.

She finds herself between the brothers, Seth lying down beside her, Richie sitting on the other side of her.

Seth places his hand on her body, his large palm spanning her belly.

"I missed you," she whispers, looking into his warm brown eyes. There is so much love in his gaze and it fills her with warmth, spreading throughout her body like sunshine.

"I know," he whispers.

"Why did you leave?" she probes.

"Because he's a dumb fuck," Richie pipes in.

She locks eyes with Richie. He leans in closer, his lips brushing softly against her own and it's like being struck by lightning. Swift currents of electricity run through her body, growing more intense with every stroke of Seth's hand, every kiss from Richie's lips.

In a blink of an eye Seth is naked, and he's perfect, broad-shouldered, muscular, the black sleeve tattoo a striking contrast against his bronzed skin. She aches to touch him, to kiss him and taste him but he's too busy ripping off her bikini bottoms with his teeth. An incorrigible grin curving his face, he throws the fabric at Richie who catches it effortlessly, slipping it into his back pocket.

Seth's mouth closes over the very intimate parts of her, sucking her, tasting her, his tongue circling around the sensitive nub that seems to be connected to every nerve in her body. He's brutal with his assault, teasing and taunting as she writhes under his touch, screaming for more.

"Once a screamer, always a screamer," Richie whispers. He kisses her with a languid, sensuous intensity that makes her wet.

Guttural moans escape her lips, in response to both their machinations. There are fireworks in the sky, birds chirping loudly. The ocean waves crash against each other, rapid and fervent.

She can't think, can't breathe, pleasure surging through every inch of her.

Richie swallows her groans in his mouth, his tongue playing with hers, making her tremble when his thumb circles her right nipple deliberately slow, squeezing the hardened nub between his fingers.

"No, don't stop," she whispers, breathless, when Richie pulls back, his gaze consuming her. "Please."

Richie's index finger smooths over her bottom lip. "We're not going anywhere, Sweetheart. This is just the beginning."

She takes his finger in her mouth, sucking the digit, licking it with her tongue, and the blues of his eyes darken to match the colour of the ocean next to them.

Suddenly it's night, the sky pitch black. She's still naked, comfortably positioned between the brothers, Seth facing her, Richie behind her. Their arms and legs are all tangled together, melding into one.

"If you had to pick, who would it be?" Seth asks. His hand rests on her waist, his fingers drawing lazy patterns on her skin.

"Really? This shit again?" Richie murmurs, his voice filled with sleep.

She shivers at the delicious sensation of his breath humming against the nape of her neck.

"Kate, don't answer that."

"Richie, don't tell me what to do," she snaps.

Seth chuckles softly, dropping a tender kiss on the tip of her nose. "That's my girl."

She rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Seth."

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed tonight," Richie teases.

She yawns, closing her eyes. "I don't know why you keep asking me the same question, Seth. It's not like my answer's going to be any different. I wouldn't pick Tango or Cash. I haven't watched the movie, remember?"

"You have no idea what you're missing," Seth chastises.

"You're not missing much," Richie says at the same time.

She smiles, slowly nodding off to sleep.

"Hey, Princess," Seth murmurs, his voice a soft whisper in her ear. "Not going to leave us again, are you?"

Her eyes remain closed. "I'm not the one who runs, remember?"

Richie traces the curve of her ear with his tongue, his fingers playing with her hair. "We can't do this without you. You know that, don't you?"

"I love you," she whispers.

Kate wakes up with a start.

At first she's discombobulated, unsure of where she is, why she's naked, why she's alone and then it all comes back to her, a mad rush of unwanted memories flashing through her brain.

Hearing the door, she reaches for the sheets to cover herself.

Richie steps inside, his blank gaze fixated on her. He shuts the door behind him.

"Hi," she says.

He doesn't say anything, simply staring at her for the longest while before drawing closer. There is something malicious in his gaze, it makes her anxious, but she tells herself she's being silly. "Have I been out long?" she asks.

He sits down on one corner of the bed, careful not to make any physical contact. Pulling out a large roll of cash, he drops it by her foot.

"What's this?"

He's cold as ice. "Cash. Moolah. Whatever you want to call it. There's enough here to last you months. Take it and get the fuck out of here."


	10. Chapter 10

Richie steps inside the room and shuts the door behind him. "Hi," Kate greets, clutching the bed sheet to her breasts. The last thing she remembers is him sliding down between her legs, feeding from her inner thigh, and a hot blush spreads across her cheeks recalling that erotic sensation. Feeling a little shy, she gives him a hesitant smile.

He doesn't say anything for the longest time. A blank expression covers his face, making it impossible for her to gauge his thoughts. Dread forms in the pit of her stomach, as if she's standing on the edge of a cliff and about to jump to her inevitable death.

Finally he draws closer, but instead of relief it's apprehension that surges through her. Something's wrong; she can feel it in her bones, but tells herself to snap out of it. "How long have I been out?" she asks, hoping that will spark a conversation.

It doesn't.

He sits down on one corner of the bed, careful not to make any contact with her.

"Richie?" She prods again. "What's wrong?"

After what feels like an eternity, he reaches for something inside his jacket pocket. She stares at him, confused, as he places the large stack of bills near her feet. "What's this?"

His voice is cold as ice. "Cash. Moolah. Whatever you want to call it."

"I can see that," she snaps. "What's it for?"

"There's enough here to last you a few months. Take it and get the fuck out of here."

"What?"

"You need to leave," he repeats, turning towards her. "There are hunters after you and I can't be around every minute to protect you."

"I don't need a bodyguard, Richie."

"Actually, yeah, you do, but it can't be me. The best thing for you to do right now is cross the border and go back."

Guilt brims in his eyes but it disappears so quickly she wonders if it's simply a figment of her imagination. Maybe she's projecting her feelings onto him, the same way she did with Seth. After a year of travelling and hunting together and everything they went through, she had come to think of Seth as her family, her lifeline, and assumed he felt the same way, but all it took was some cautionary words from his brother and Seth ran as fast as he could, without so much as a backward glance in her direction.

And now she has a sinking feeling Richie's about to do the same. "Why are you doing this?"

"I told you why. It isn't safe for you here."

"Don't give me that bullshit, Richard. Tell me the truth."

He levels her with a cold glance. "You're really going to make me do this, aren't you? I'm trying to be a nice guy here-"

"Then stop! Stop fucking being nice and just be honest!"

"You want honesty? Fine. Here it is. I don't want to be with some fucking virgin who passes out when I get too close! Do you know how frustrating that is?"

Stunned into silence by his cruel words, she averts her gaze from him. Is this really happening? Maybe she's still sleeping and in the midst of a nightmare. The stranger in front of her can't be the same Richie was so sweet and gentle only a few hours before.

"What the fuck was I thinking?" He mumbles to himself, running his fingers through his hair. "All this time I had this voice in my head telling me Santanico was the wrong choice, that maybe it was _you_ who I was supposed to be with. Everything I'd gone through, everything I'd experienced, it all happened so that _we_ would be together, but I guess I was just deluding myself. Santanico scares me sometimes, she can be so fucking intense, and you were just... I don't know, a way out when things got to be too much. If I loved _you_, then it meant I didn't love her and didn't have to commit. It's not like you can be in love with two people at the same time, right?" He asks pointedly.

His words cut into her like a knife, pain gushing out of her.

He stands up, casually walks over to the window. Leaning against the wall, he peeks through the curtains. "Santanico said you were nothing more than an itch I had to scratch, that I was romanticizing my infatuation into something more, but I thought she was full of shit. No wonder she laughed at me when I told her I had feelings for you. She practically dared me to come here, like she knew this whole thing would blow up in my face."

Kate flinches. A part of her wants to crawl under the blanket and hide from his devastating words but she forces herself to remain in place. "You didn't come here for me, you're here to prove something to yourself."

He throws her a pitying glance. "Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk. You said you wanted honesty, right? Well, here it is."

"I wish I'd killed you when I had the chance."

His eyes narrow on to her face. "There's no need to be so melodramatic, Kate. I had every intention of sticking it out with you but I realised I don't love you. You can't give me what I need and I don't see the point of attempting something that will make us both miserable. I mean, it's not like I'm what you want either. You were moaning Seth's name while you were passed out, and mine too." His head tips to the right, an eyebrow quirking up. "It's really fucked up when you think about it."

"Shut up!" She pushes the cash aside, some of it landing on the ground. "Take your money and get out!"

He exhales a resigned sigh. "I don't know why I expected you to be mature about this." Leaving the money where it is, he turns around and heads to the door.

"If I ever see you again, I _will_ kill you." Kate realizes she means every word, it's not an empty threat. Hate is not a feeling she's familiar with, but right now, looking at the sneer on Richie's face, she recognizes that very potent emotion swelling within her.

"Good thing I'm already dead, Sweetheart."

He walks out, leaving her alone in the empty room.

There are no tears of sorrow or anger, just a welcome numbness that envelopes her, and she's grateful for it.

* * *

From a few miles away Richie watches as the pickup truck drives past the customs officer and officially out of Mexico. The rustbucket joins the traffic on the other side, quickly disappearing from his line of sight.

He should feel happy, relieved, that she's gone, Kate's finally fucking gone, but it's absolute, terrifying despair that ripples through him. Telling himself to get over it, he picks up the phone and dials his brother's number.

"Is it done?" Seth answers, sounding wasted.

"Yeah. She's gone."

The silence is heavy, palpable. Richie knows if there's anyone who understands what's he's going through right now, it's his brother.

"When you showing up here?" Seth asks.

"In a few hours."

"And then we finally put a stake through viper fang-bitch?"

Richie pauses briefly before answering. "It's not going to be that easy."

"No shit, Sherlock. But we gotta start somewhere, right?"

"I'll call you when I'm close."

"I'll be at the bar."

"Shocking," Richie deadpans.

Seth hangs up and Richie starts his car, that heavy feeling of emptiness lessening a little at the thought of reuniting with his brother.


	11. Chapter 11

Richie enters the beach-side bar, scans the open surroundings. The area is practically empty save for a few losers still hanging around. And Seth. He's sitting at the bar, shoulders drooped, downing a shot of something. Probably tequila, and definitely not his first if his dishevelled appearance is any indication.

Kate's face flashes in Richie's mind again, her devastated expression forever ingrained into his brain. Before he can fall into a state of self-pity and despair, he forces himself to snap out of it. There's no room for doubt when it comes to Kate. He did what needed to be done to keep her safe.

He walks over to Seth, pulls out a stool and takes a seat next to his brother. Seth eyes him, disinterested, before returning his attention to the empty glass in front of him. He starts tapping it on the table. "Hey Vato, hit me up with another one."

"Think you've had enough," Richie remarks.

"Think you need to shut the fuck up."

An affectionate smile forms across Richie's lips; he missed his brother.

"You want one?" Seth asks.

"No. Has no effect on me now."

"That blows."

"Tell me about it."

They sit there for a few minutes, both silent.

"What happened?" Seth finally asks.

The last thing Richie wants is to recall his night with Kate. The exact moment his deliberate cruelty broke her heart haunts him. He _saw _the pain flowing out of her like blood gushing out, felt it with every fibre of his being. "I told you. She left."

"Stop beating around the bush. Tell me what happened exactly."

"You want the gory details? Fine," Richie snaps, his temper rising in spite of his efforts to remain calm. "I fucked Kate, told her she was a lousy lay, and then I threw some money at her and told her to get out." The punch to his face isn't a surprise, not when he intentionally provoked Seth.

Seth shoves him hard and Richie topples backwards, landing on the floor.

At first he takes it when Seth kicks him but soon he's fighting back, desperate to unleash his inner demons. He and Seth are rolling on the floor, kicking and punching each other, the bartender is screaming at them in Spanish and suddenly they're soaking in water.

"What the fuck?" Seth screams, looking up at the toothless bartender holding an empty bucket. "You better hope that was clean water, asshole!"

Richie pushes Seth aside, gets up from the floor.

"Get the fuck out!" the bartender screams at them in broken English, repeatedly.

"Yeah, yeah, we heard you old man," Seth grumbles, swiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

Richie removes his jacket, throws it over his shoulder, and exits the bar. He walks across the sand, watching the waves crash into each other. Shortly after Seth joins him, holding a bottle of rum. He pops off the cap, throws it aside before taking a swig.

"That was a load of crap you fed me back there," Seth accuses.

"Was it?"

"You might be an asshole, but you're not that big of an asshole."

Richie refuses to look at his brother, still staring straight ahead. "I did what I had to do."

"Is that your new fucking mantra?"

"Maybe it is," Richie snaps, irritated by his brother's eyes studying him, watching him intently. Seth has always been able to see through his defences and Richie knows it's a matter of time before he loses it completely under Seth's scrutinising gaze.

"What happened?" Seth asks again, his voice much more compassionate now.

"She was still waiting for you at the motel, she wasn't planning on going anywhere until you came back."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." Richie turns to meet Seth's gaze. "She loves you. She has a big heart and she would forgive you for anything. So I had to find another way to break her."

"Jesus Christ, Richard. That's cold."

Anger ripples through him, hot and volatile and he grabs Seth by the collar. "Don't you think I know that, Seth? You think I enjoyed this? You think I _liked_ fucking her over? She's the only other person besides you that thought I was worth something, that I wasn't some psychotic loser! And I had to look into her eyes and tell her she was worthless, that she meant nothing to me. I had to break her goddamn spirit because _that's_ what makes her pure, that's why she's special, and the reason why every pious freak wants to sacrifice her to the gods."

The pain is agonizing, more intense than when he lay dying in Santanico's arms, and he wants it to stop, he doesn't want to feel anymore. He bends over, heaving, his vision blurry and his stomach coiled into knots. For fucks sakes he's a vampire now, he's not supposed to have goddamn panic attacks, but apparently some of his old habits are still a part of him and didn't just magically disappear when he turned. All of a sudden he feels Seth's hands on his back, comforting him, telling him to breathe, close his eyes, count his breaths - all the usual things Seth says and does to help him cope with these attacks.

It takes a while but eventually his nerves settle down.

They're sitting on the sand, staring out into the ocean, the bottle of liquor going back and forth between them.

"You know what the worst thing about being a vampire is?" Richie says after a long pause.

"How hideous you look when you're all fanged out?"

"Fuck off." Richie takes a drink before passing the bottle back to his brother. "I can't get smashed, no matter what I drink. Alcohol is wasted on vampires."

Seth chuckles. "Can't have it all, bro."

"Yeah, I guess. I'll just have to be happy with the eternal life bullshit."

Silent once again, they finish the bottle between them.

"You saw her cross the border, right?" Seth asks, his voice hesitant.

Richie nods his head. "Yeah, she's gone. Don't worry."

"You think she'll be okay?"

He remembers the glint in Kate's eyes, the way her brightness diluted with each insulting word he hurled at her. "She won't be dead. That's all that matters."

"How was she when you found her?"

Richie looks at Seth but his brother glances away. "Heartbroken. I'm pretty sure she's in love with you."

Seth just makes a face, shakes his head 'no'. "She'll get over it."

"Will you?"

Seth casts him an annoyed expression. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"She's a kid. It's not like that."

"Yeah, that's why you've been getting wasted every night since leaving her, right?"

Seth grumbles to himself for several minutes before finally responding. "So what's next? How do we get rid of viper fang-bitch?"

"First we hunt down the artifacts that'll kill her, and then we go after Santanico."

"Stake through the heart won't do it?"

"No, she's more powerful than that."

Seth draws a long out breath. "And then what?"

"And then, _bro_, we save the world. Gecko style."

Seth starts laughing. "How fucked up is that?"

Richie simply smiles.


	12. Chapter 12

**Three Years Later**

Seth slips on the grey double-breasted jacket over his buttoned white shirt, checks out his reflection in the mirror. Well, goddamn. Vanessa was right. While nothing compares to a perfectly tailored Zegna, the Tom Ford suit he's wearing right now isn't too shabby either. He turns towards Richie who's sitting at the desk, tinkering away with some gadget Seth is supposed to be using later tonight. "What do you say, bro?" He points to himself. "Do I look like a high baller or what?"

Richie looks him up and down. "Or what."

"Please," Seth retorts. "Like you'd fit in with the bouji folks better?"

Richie cocks his eyebrow. "Without a doubt."

"Well then, _Richard_, why don't you go to the party instead of me?"

"Because that means taking your moronic ex-wife as my date and I'd rather put a stake through my heart than do that."

Seth shoots him a dirty look. "Don't. Vanessa's doing _us_ a favour-"

"Really? A favour, huh? So she's not expecting a cut or anything in return?"

Flushed with guilt, Seth faces the mirror again and starts fixing his hair.

"Was it necessary to tell her how much the dagger was worth?" Richie prods.

"She needed an incentive to help us steal it," Seth fires back. "So I gave her one."

"Except we're not planning on selling it after, remember? Does she know about that part too?" Richie leans back in his chair, levels Seth with a condescending stare. "I know math isn't your strong suit, Seth, but a third of nothing is still nothing."

"Fuck off, Richard!" Seth says, throwing the shirt he'd been wearing earlier at his brother. "I didn't exactly have a choice, did I? What was I supposed to say 'Hey babe, wanna help me steal a magical dagger that a vampire god is trying to destroy 'cause it's one of the few things that can kill her'? She would have put us both in the loony bin as soon as I said vampire."

Richie tips his head to the right. "Or call the cops and send us back to prison."

"No, just you. She doesn't hate _my_ guts."

"Not yet anyway."

"Besides, she'll be the one keeping filthy fat fucks distracted while I'm sneaking off to steal your goddamn rust-metal."

"It's not just any old metal."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. It's a special magical metal forged from leprechauns and unicorns or some shit like that. We've been over this like a million times."

"Yet you can't remember a single specific detail about the actual thing."

"Who gives a fuck as long as I get my hands on it?"

"True."

"What was that, brother? Did you actually admit I was right about something?"

Richie picks up the tiny gadget he was playing with earlier. "You remember what I told you about this thing, right?"

"Yeah, I do. Now get off my back so I can get ready. I have to pick up Vanessa in an hour."

"Do _not_ let her distract you."

Seth grins, knowing exactly what his brother's implying. "Hey, if she wants to distract me for a few minutes I'm sure as hell not gonna stop her."

Richie gives him a disdainful glance before returning his attention to the laptop on his desk.

A few minutes later Richie inserts the gadget into the fabric of Seth's suit. "Remember, turn it on when you're in front of the vault. Not before. This piece of shit doesn't exactly have a great battery life."

"Got it."

Seth fist bumps his brother before heading for the door.

"Seth?"

"Yeah?" He looks over his shoulder at Richie.

"Don't get dead."

Seth smirks. "I'll try." He exits the hotel room, leaving his brother behind.

* * *

With Vanessa by his side, Seth saunters through the mansion where the party's being held, casing the joint. Richie managed to get the blueprint of this place a few days ago and everything's still the same from what Seth can see. So far, so good. If this thing goes off without a hitch, they can be out of here in an hour. Thank the fucking lord for that because he has no idea how much more he can take of these rich, pretentious fuckholes.

"Seth, smile," Vanessa says, casting a polite smile at the couples passing them. "You don't want to arouse these people's suspicions, do you?"

"Not everyone's a natural born grifter like you, babe."

"I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Really?" He looks at her. "I could have sworn I told you you're the hottest thing in this room."

"Considering I'm the youngest person here, not exactly a compliment," Vanessa points out.

"Yeah, it is. Youth doesn't necessarily mean beauty. Haven't you figured that out yet?"

Picking up a glass of champagne, she faces him. "Wow, that's deep."

"Not just a pretty face now, am I?"

Smiling, she leans in to give him a quick peck on the lips. "I still can't believe you're here. Or that you're even alive."

"Neither can I."

"Once we take care of this maybe we can finally go away somewhere."

Guilt surges through him. "That sounds good."

"But not with Richie."

Irritated, he tells himself to stay calm. "Fine. Whatever."

"I don't know how it's possible but he's a bigger bastard than before."

"Alright, I get it. You don't like him."

"No shit, Seth. He's an asshole and you know it."

"Fine, he is, but he's family. _My_ family. So can we stop having the same argument every fucking time?"

Despite the angry glint in her eyes, Vanessa nods. "Sure. Sorry."

"Hey, thanks for helping me do this," he says, reminding himself that he has no right to get mad when _he'll _be the one fucking Vanessa over. "I don't know how you scored an invite to this-"

"I have my ways. And I'm not planning on sharing them with you."

He smirks.

They drift through the rooms until finally stopping in a secluded corner. Thanks to the blueprints, Seth knows there's a back entrance behind the wall which will lead upstairs to where the vault is kept. Now he just has to wait for the right opportunity to slip away.

"Looks like we're not the youngest ones here," Vanessa says.

Seth follows the direction of her gaze and finds himself staring at a familiar face a few feet away.

_Kate_.

He stands frozen, the wind knocked out of him like someone just delivered a strong punch to his gut. Kate, h_is_ Kate, who looks the same yet somehow completely different than the last time he saw her. Her hair is longer, and there's a certain maturity to her face that wasn't there before.

Their eyes meet. She doesn't move, her unwavering gaze locked with his.

His chest squeezes with pain. He can't fucking breathe. That deep ache he's tried to forget the last few years seems to have returned with a vengeance, hell-bent on leaving a mark in his soul.

There was an innocence to Kate that used to drive him nuts. He couldn't figure out how she could still be so sweet, and sometimes even naive, after everything they'd gone through. It was both endearing and frustrating and one of the many things he loved about her. The woman standing in front of him, however, looks the farthest thing from the sweet, shy girl he remembers. Dressed in a blue dress that hugs her body in all the right places, she appears comfortable in her own skin, confident, like she knows with complete certainty that she belongs here.

And holy fuck, she's hot as hell.


	13. Chapter 13

Seth stands there, stiff, rigid, his chest squeezing with pain. He can't fucking breathe. That deep ache he's tried to forget the last few years seems to have returned with a vengeance, hell-bent on leaving a mark in his soul.

There was an innocence to Kate that used to drive him nuts. He couldn't figure out how she could be so hopeful, sometimes even naive after everything they'd gone through. It was both endearing and frustrating, but also one of the many things he loved about her. The woman standing in front of him, however, looks the farthest thing from the sweet, shy girl he remembers. Dressed in a blue dress that hugs her body in all the right places, she appears comfortable in her own skin, and - unlike him - knows with complete confidence she belongs here.

And holy fuck, she's hot as hell.

She's staring at him with the same level of intensity he's watching her; he wonders what she's thinking, how she's doing, why the hell she's even here and not off in college somewhere. He wants to rush over and hold her in his arms, tell her how much he's missed her, ached for her.

She was the only thing that kept him going after Richie chose Santanico. His brother's betrayal had burned a hole in his heart that Seth thought would never heal, and even though the pain never went away it became more and more bearable - because of Kate. She made him smile, gave him a reason to keep fighting, to not give up. And then he betrayed her in the worst possible way.

She's the first one to break eye contact, and it's a shock to see her turn to the old geezer standing next to her, smile at him like he's fucking Prince Charming. The douche whispers something in her ear, snakes his weasel arms around her waist, and plants a gross kiss on Kate's cheek. It takes all of Seth's inner strength not to run over and pummel the asshole to the floor.

"Seth?"

Tearing his gaze away from Kate, he look at Vanessa. She's watching him, worried. "Yeah?"

"You okay? You just zoned out on me."

He takes her glass of champagne and drinks from it, downing the entire content. "I'm fine. I just thought I recognized someone."

"Shit, that's not good. What if they call the cops?"

He turns back to look at Kate but she's not there anymore. He quickly scans the room but there's no sign of her.

"There are arrest warrants out for you both you and Richie, remember? If someone recognized you-"

"She won't calls the cops. Don't worry."

"_She_?" Right away, Vanessa's tone changes. "Who is _she_?"

"Some girl I met in Mexico," Seth replies, feigning nonchalance. Since sneaking into Texas a month ago and hooking up with Vanessa, he's been careful to keep her in the dark about everything that went down. Vanessa doesn't know anything about the Fullers, the Titty Twister, Vampires. Nothing. She's separate from the madness that consumed his life and that's the way he intends to keep it. Hell, it's not like she'd believe him anyway. Sometimes _he_ has a hard time believing his brother is a fucking vampire.

"Some girl you fucked?"

"Are we really going to fight about this now?" Seth fires back. "We're here to work, remember?"

"For your sake I hope this chick doesn't rat you out to the cops."

"She won't." Seth puts down his empty glass on a table. "Ready to do this?"

"Hey, be careful," Vanessa says, leaning in to give him a gentle kiss.

He peers at her closely, tucking in a loose curl behind her ear. There was a time when he used to think the most complicated relationship in his life was with Vanessa, and now, well, he just wants to laugh at his own stupidity. Those were the good old times, when things were simpler before everything went to hell. "You too, babe. Keep these fuckers busy, okay? And stick to the plan."

"Got it."

Seth turns around and heads for the hidden staircase.

* * *

Few minutes later Seth is standing outside the room containing the suspected vault, and he pulls out the little compact tool box from the inside of his jacket pocket. After tinkering with the lock for several minutes he jams the door open, steps inside, and finds himself staring at Kate. She's holding a dagger in her hands, the same one he's after. "Hi," he blurts out, and realises exactly how stupid that sounds. Fuck.

She watches him, her face a blank stare.

"How are you?" he prods, taking a few steps closer.

"Peachy," she finally responds, her voice cold, nothing like he remembers.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I want that dagger you're holding."

"You're not getting it." Her tone is firm. "I really thought I'd never see you again."

Guilt ripples through him. "I know."

"I was hoping you'd be dead."

Her harsh words sting, there's no denying that, but he also knows she has every right to feel that way. "Seems to be a popular opinion."

Glancing down at the dagger, she smooths her fingers along the edge. "Why do you want this?"

"Because Santanico's looking for it."

She looks up at him. The vacant expression on her face is gone, replaced with absolute disgust. "So you're working for her now?"

"Fuck, no! That thing can kill her, she wants to destroy it. We don't want that bitch to get her hands on it."

"We?"

"Richie. Me."

A bitter smile curves her lips. "Of course."

"What are you doing here? I thought you'd be-"

"Dead and sacrificed to the gods by now? That's why you took off, right? You didn't want to end up in the line of fire?"

"Why are you here, Kate?"

"How's that any of your business?"

Angry, he storms towards her. "You're smarter than this, you know better than to get mixed up in this shit." His heated gaze locks with her defiant one. "Shouldn't you be in college or something? Why the fuck are you here? And why was that old douchebag groping you?"

"Seriously? You think you have any right to ask me that?"

"I walked away to keep you fucking safe-"

"Safe?" She laughs, an ugly sound laden with rage. Her eyes gleam with hate, and it's a kick in the stomach to know he and Richie are responsible for that. "Is that what Richie told you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She advances forward, closing the distance between them. She's up in his face, glaring at him, and of all the goddamn things he _should_ be concerned with all he can think about is how great she smells. _Holy fuck_, he missed her scent. Her lips are a fiery red, and he's suddenly struck by the image of Kate sucking him off with those lips. His cock hardens at the thought, excitement rushes through his blood, but he tells himself to snap out of it, to focus. "We had to keep you safe, and getting you away from all this was the only way to do it."

"If you really believe that, you're a bigger idiot than I assumed."

"Watch it, Princess."

"Or what, Seth? What are you gonna do to me you haven't done already?" She sneers at him, goading him to respond. "You ruined my life, you broke my heart, you dumped me like I was yesterday's trash and left me _all alone_ to deal with the shit you and your brother caused. And guess what, I'm still here, I'm still standing. So what the fuck can you do to me now?"

Her words hit him like a bucket of cold water. "What shit? What did you have to deal with?"

She scrutinises him, eyes brimming with suspicion.

"What happened?" he demands, jaw clenched with frustration. "Tell me what's going on, Kate!"

"Richie did something to me, something that made me a bigger target. You say you sent me away to keep me safe? Bullshit. As soon as I crossed that border to come home, they came after me. Not just hunters, but also vampires. Every fucking night. It doesn't matter where I ran or hid, they always found me. Because of you and your brother."

For the second time that night Seth's left speechless, the wind knocked out of him. Overwhelmed with shame, regret, and a countless other emotions, he diverts his eyes from her. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care." She's cold again, her voice frigid. "I've always heard revenge is bittersweet, but I don't know. Feels more sweet than bitter, actually."

As soon as Seth looks up at her, he knows he's in trouble. He can hear footsteps approaching, and a second later three security guards burst through the door, pointing guns at him.

Kate raises her eyebrow, shrugs her shoulders. "I rang the secret alarm when you were apologizing."

"So this is how we're gonna play it?"

"Yup. Oh, and if you see Richie before you're locked up, tell him I said hi."

Seth starts fighting with the rent-a-cops but the big, beefy one throws a few mean punches across his jaw, his stomach. Kate's face is the last thing he sees before he drops to the floor.


	14. Chapter 14

Pain shoots through Seth, jolting him awake. His jaw hurts, his stomach hurts. Hell, his entire fucking body hurts. He opens his eyes and realises he's in the passenger seat of a car, Richie driving next to him.

"You okay?"

Seth casts a brief glance at his brother. "I'm sore."

"No kidding. You look like you got hit by a mack truck."

"Might as well have. Those asswipes were ridiculously jacked." Seth rubs the back of his neck. "How the hell did I get here?"

"Your ex-ball and chain called me. Lucky for you, I was close to the mansion. Took care of the rent-a-cops while they were hauling you out."

"Where's Vanessa?"

Richie ignores the question. "I knew it'd be a bad idea to have her go with you. You go full retard around her. All you had to do-"

"Hey, leave her out of this. It wasn't her fault I screwed up."

"So whose fault was it then, Seth?"

Seth contemplates not saying anything but knows he could never keep this from his brother. "Kate was there."

Richie swerves the car over to the side of the road, slams on his breaks.

"Jesus Fucking Christ, Richard!" Seth gripes, unlocking his belt.

"Kate? _Our_ Kate?" The cold arrogant mask Richard always wears is gone; in its place is a man lost and frantic at the mere mention of a name. "What was she doing there? How is she? _Where_ is she?"

"She was there for the dagger."

Richie stares at him, confused. "What? Why?"

"It doesn't matter. She has it now."

"We have to find her."

"Richie, we can't. She hates us, remember? And she has every reason to." Seth shakes his head. "I thought we were doing the right thing letting her go."

"We did."

"No, _Richard_. We didn't. Because she said the attacks got worse, way worse, when she came home. You know what that means, Richie? We fucking left her to deal with all that shit alone! When she needed us, we bailed on her."

"How's that possible? That doesn't make any sense."

"She blames you for the attacks, thinks you did something to her. But that can't be true, can it, Richie?" Seth glares at his brother. "You didn't _do_ anything, did you?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Tell me what happened that night you were with her."

"We don't have time for this shit."

"I want fucking details, Richie!"

Richie runs his fingers through his hair, desperation brimming in his eyes. "She wanted me to feed from her, said it would connect us or something like that. I was drinking her blood when she passed out on me. I didn't even take that much from her, but she was out cold. I thought I hurt her, I thought she was dead. She barely had a heart beat!"

Seth realises there's no way Richie's lying. While his brother can be a real son of a bitch at times, he also knows how much Kate means to Richie, the lengths Richie will go to keep her safe.

"I had to do something," Richie whispers, his voice frantic. "So I gave her some of my blood. It's supposed to accelerate healing, and it did! It worked. Her heart started beating again, she came to for a minute and then went right back to sleep. She was fine. I swear!"

Seth pulls his brother in for a hug, consoling him so that Richie stops shaking. "I believe you."

"We have to find her. I need to explain-"

"I don't think that's a good idea."

Richie shoves him away, glaring at him. "Why the fuck not?"

"Because all we've done is fuck up her life!" Seth exhales a long breath, his chest squeezing with pain. "I saw it in her eyes tonight. She hates me, hates us. Can't really blame her after everything we've done."

"I _have_ to see her."

It's pointless to argue with Richie when he's made up his mind about something. "Fine, you do what you need to," Seth mutters.

"Come with me," Richie pleads.

"No! Fuck that. I'm not going. I need to make sure Vanessa-"

"Are you fucking kidding me? You're gonna blow me off, blow Kate off, for _her_? When are you gonna get it through your thick skull you two are a fucking disaster?"

"That's rich coming from you, asshole!"

"It's not even like you love her."

"Shut up, Richie."

"When are you gonna man up and admit the truth?"

"And what truth would that be?" Seth fires back.

"You don't want to see Kate because you're terrified. You're in love-"

"Fuck you!" Seth storms out of the car, slamming the door behind him. His body protests in pain but he ignores it.

"Fine. Walk away. Pussy!"A minute later Richie pulls up the car next to Seth. "You look like you're gonna pass out any second. Get the fuck in."

"Only if you keep your mouth shut. I'm getting real sick of you blabbering all the time." Richie cocks his eyebrow in defiance but remains quiet. Seth slips back inside. "Drop me off at Vanessa's. I need to let her know we're leaving."

His brother flashes a smug grin.

"Wipe that fucking smirk off your face, Richard. I'm not going with you to see Kate."

"Sure you're not, _bro_."

Seth wishes he had the energy to punch the asshole.

* * *

Kate gets out of the bathtub and wraps herself in a towel, wincing with pain. Thanks to the two vampires that caught her by surprise an hour ago, her body is black and blue with bruises. She ended up killing them soon thereafter, but not before they got a few good shots in. Gazing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, she studies her arms; the wounds will heal quickly, but until it does it feels like her nerves are on fire, screaming with agony.

Her phone rings, bringing her out of her reverie and she picks it up from the bathroom counter. It's Ranger Gonzalez returning her call. "Hi."

"Kate, you alright? I just got your message."

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she assures. "How's the little munchkin doing?"

"Growing up too fast. She's running around all over the place, getting into things she has no business being in."

Hearing the fatherly pride in the Ranger's voice, Kate smiles. "I think she gets that from you."

"That's what her mother keeps saying." He clears his throat and Kate can hear him drifting into quieter surroundings, probably away from his family so they don't hear their conversation. "What's going on, Kate?"

She contemplates telling him about Seth's return, but decides against it. Ranger Gonzalez hates the Gecko brothers, probably even more than she does, and he wouldn't hesitate to leave his family behind to make sure Seth is dead. While that thought is somewhat comforting, Kate doesn't want the Ranger involved in any of this. She may have lost everything but _he_ still has a beautiful family who need him, and Kate doesn't want to jeopardize that. Besides, Seth is probably in a cell somewhere - assuming Richie hasn't busted him out yet. "Everything's fine. I just... I need you to go to the _bruja_ for me."

"For the potion?"

"Yeah."

"I thought a hit was good for a year."

"They've been wearing out of my system faster than usual. These last few weeks, I don't know, it's been crazy. The vamps have been crawling out of the woodworks."

"Why? Has something changed?"

She swallows an audible breath. Seth was at the mansion three nights ago which means Richie must be around too; instinctively she realises that's why vamps have been chasing her down again - because of the Gecko brothers. "No, everything's normal," she lies.

"Kate, I get the feeling you're keeping something from me."

"I'm not."

"If you need help-"

"All I need is for you to send me the potion from the _brouja_. One hit of that and I'll be the invisible woman to all vamps again."

"Promise me you'll call if you're in trouble."

There was a time when she would never have made false promises, but not anymore. "I will. I swear."

"Okay, fine. Where you staying?"

"At a hotel downtown."

"Text me the address."

After the conversation ends, she puts her phone back on the counter, grabs a bottle of lotion and flicks the bathroom light off. All of a sudden, she hears the door shut. Someone's in her room. Light on her feet, quietly as possible, she grabs the stash of poison she keeps in the bathroom. One shot of the venom renders vampires immobile, weakening them for hours. The only problem is, she has to get close enough to inject it.

She tiptoes out of the bathroom and finds a looming figure standing in the far end of the room, his back turned to her. She doesn't need to see the face to recognise who it is. The long, lean length of his frame is answer enough. _Richie_. Her heart starts beating erratically, her stomach twisting into knots.

A part of her wants to run and hide, the other wants to storm over and kick him in the balls and hurt him as much as he's hurt her. Instead she stands there, still.

He turns around.

Eyes locked, both frozen, they simply stare at each other for a long while before he finally breaks the silence. "Kate," he whispers.

In one quick stride he closes the distance between them. Standing directly in front of her now, he watches her intently.

"I missed you."

His words are exactly what she needs to hear at that moment. With the small needle still curled up in her hand, she quickly reaches up and slams it into Richie's neck.


	15. Chapter 15

"What the _fuck_?" Richie grumbles, pulling out the needle from his neck.

"Did that hurt? I hope that hurt."

"Was that necessary?" he mutters, rubbing the irritated spot.

"Absolutely," Kate replies.

There are darkened bruises all over her arms and shoulders, and he could kick himself for not noticing them earlier. "What happened to you?"

"You're seriously asking me that? After everything you and Seth have done?"

Realising she misunderstood him, he takes a step closer and reaches out to smooth his fingers along her skin. Immediately, she retreats back. He peers at her closely. It's not just hateful scorn that masks her face, there's also fear. She's clutching the towel to her chest, like she's worried he's about to rape her or something, and the thought fills him with disgust. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She scoffs. "You _can't_ hurt me. That stuff I injected you with? Any second now you're going to drop to the floor, you won't be able to move. You'll be in a lot of pain, for hours, and you'll feel every second of it."

Cheeks flushed, long brown hair piled into a messy bun atop her head, she's glaring at him like he's the scum of the earth and all he can think about is how beautiful she is. "Revenge looks good on you."

She studies him with a confused expression. "Did you hear what I said? You're not going to be able to move-"

"Yeah, yeah. I heard you. How did you get those bruises?"

"Like you care."

"I do." He turns around, walks to the bed and takes a seat, stretching out his long legs in front of him. Pulling out a cigarette from the pack inside his jacket pocket, he slips it between his lips and lights it up using the matches on the bedside table.

"You can drop the act, Richie. The dagger's not here, you're wasting your time."

Silent, his eyes languidly travel down her body, memorizing every inch of her so the image is etched into his brain. "I don't care about the dagger. I'm here for you."

"Yeah, sure you are."

His gaze lingers on the swell of her breasts, remembering how perfect they were. "Why don't you go put on some clothes? We need to talk-"

"I have nothing to say to you," she interjects.

"-but I can't focus with you naked. All I can think about is how much I want to rip that towel off and fuck you right here."

"Am I supposed to be flattered by that?"

He takes a drag off his cigarette. "I'm just telling you how I feel."

"Which is what? I'm suddenly fuckable now that I'm not a virgin anymore?"

There's disdain on her face, utter contempt - so very unlike the girl who was always hopeful and saw the best in people. It sickens him to know _he's_ responsible for that change. "I said horrible hurtful things to you that night. I didn't mean any of it but it was the only way I could get you to leave Mexico. Seth and I, we wanted you to be safe."

"How noble of you."

Ignoring her sarcastic response, he continues. "I wish I could undo it, fix it, but I can't. All I can do is apologize. I'm sorry, Kate. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I pushed you away."

"And now you want me to forgive you."

"Can you?"

She shakes her head, laughing. The sound is hoarse, bitter, not at all reminiscent of the Kate he remembers. He butts the cigarette out in the ashtray before focusing his attention back on her.

"You know what I think?" she asks.

"Tell me."

"You still think of me as that same stupid, naive girl you manipulated before. You're here because you want something. Maybe it's the dagger, maybe it's something else, I don't know, but I'm not going to let you get your hands on it."

He realises there's no point in arguing with her. It's not like she has any reason to trust him. "You told Seth things got a lot worse for you when you came home. What happened?"

"Like you don't know."

Jaw clenched, he stares at her intently. "I don't."

"You did something to me! Something that made the vampire attacks a hundred times worse."

"I gave you my blood that night, that's all. You were passed out and it was the only thing I could think of doing that would make you okay."

"Do you really expect me to believe that?"

"Yes! Because it's the fucking truth!"

Her eyes brim with angry tears. "Everywhere I went I was attacked by vampires. It didn't matter where I ran, where I hid, they always found me. Because of _you_. Because of what _you_ did to me. Why did you do it? For Santanico?"

He stands up. "This has _nothing_ to do with her. I want her dead just as much as you do."

"Liar! You're a fucking liar!" She storms towards him. "If you really cared about me, you would have checked up on me. But you didn't, did you? You and Seth just went on with your lives like I was nothing, like I didn't exist at all."

"I couldn't!" he fires back, losing the last bit of control he had left. Cradling her face in his hands, he forces her to look at him. "I knew if I looked for you, if I saw you again, I couldn't stay away. I loved you-"

She slaps him across the face; his cheeks sting from the violent contact.

"You don't ever get to say that to me. You don't know what love is!" she spits out. "You're selfish, you're an asshole, and you're here now because you want something. You're a fucking monster."

"Maybe so, sweetheart, but I still love you."

"Fuck you!" She shoves him hard. "Get out!"

She turns around to walk away but he pulls her close, trapping her in his arms. "You think it was easy for us? You think we moved on? Seth's a huge fucking wreck since he left you. He acts like everything's okay but I know my brother, I know when he's hurting, and he's all messed up without you."

"Oh yeah," Kate mutters, struggling against him. "That's why he was sucking face with that girl at the mansion, right?"

"Forget her! She means nothing to him," Richie says dismissively.

"So he's using her? Like he used me? Like _you_ used me?"

He maneuvers her around in his arms to face him. "Yell at me. Hit me. Hurt me. Do whatever it is you need to do to make yourself feel better so we can move past this. Because I'm _not_ leaving you again."

Suddenly pain ripples through him, agonizing, blinding pain that feels like it's shooting out of every nerve in his body. One minute he has Kate in his arms, the next he's on the floor, unable to move.


	16. Chapter 16

Kate looks down, watching helplessly as Richie starts trembling on the floor. _Shit_. She has used the venom on numerous vampires over the years and every one of them reacted to it right away, their bodies shutting down, immobilising them. It's extremely hurtful to their system, rendering most of them unconscious from the agonising torture. But of course it affects Richie differently, probably because of Santanico. He's not paralysed; in fact he's shaking violently, moaning with pain.

After everything he and Seth have put her through, she should be jumping with joy at the sight of Richie suffering... but it's not happiness, or even satisfaction, she feels at the sight of a tortured Richie on the floor.

Every instinct she possesses is telling her to run, get away from here as fast as she can. At any moment Seth will burst through that door, making this night even worse, and while she may be able to handle one Gecko on her own, she knows it's almost impossible for her to beat them when they're a team. In her experience, the brothers are significantly more cruel and cunning when they're working together and yet, she finds herself unable to leave.

Resigned, Kate bends down and places her hand on his forehead. Although he looks feverish, his temple is ice-cold. He meets her gaze, the deep blue pools of his eyes drowning in anguish.

She quickly gets up, grabs a pillow and comforter from the bed before returning to Richie. Holding his head up, she struggles to slide the pillow underneath him so he's a bit more comfortable. His hand fists her towel, reluctant to let her go when she tries to get up.

"Kate..." he murmurs. "Don't... leave... _please_." His voice is hoarse, raw, _desperate_.

"I have to change," she replies, pulling away. Picking up a pair of tank-top and shorts, she walks to the bathroom. Once inside she expels a long breath, staring at her own reflection in the mirror, her brain still screaming at her to run before it's too late. She can't leave now but once he's okay she can take off, Kate reminds herself. It takes hours for the venom to disintegrate but it's already proven to behave unpredictably with Richie. Maybe he'll be fine within minutes. And then a new thought occurs to her, filling her with unexpected dread. What if he's not? What if the venom is more toxic to his system and ends up hurting him worse?

She throws the towel aside, gets dressed. Her hand is on the doorknob when she pauses momentarily. Her nerves are shot to hell, overwhelmed with guilt, anger and confusion. Taking a deep breath, she exits the bathroom.

Richie is still on the floor, curled up on one side, no longer shaking. Instead he's watching her, making her feel even more anxious than she already does. Ignoring his piercing stare, she walks towards him and picks up the comforter from the floor, throwing it over his body. She sits down next to him, leaning back against the bed frame, and closes her eyes.

It's not too long before he starts shaking again vigorously, jolting her awake. Unsure of what to do, she scoots down and tries to comfort him but his movements are too quick, too abrupt, until eventually the episode passes and he's calm once again. Throwing her arms around his chest, she hugs him tightly.

"I'm... sorry," he whispers against her neck.

"Just try to sleep."

"No. You'll... leave."

Her stomach coils into painful knots, her chest tightening. Silent for several minutes, she finally responds. "I won't."

"Promise... me."

She begins stroking his hair. "I promise."

He relaxes against her, like a heavy weight has been lifted from his shoulder, and soon falls asleep in her arms.

* * *

When Kate wakes up next she finds herself face to face with Richie. His eyes are wide open, peering at her closely as they lie next to one another, sharing the same pillow. "What time is it?"

"I'd tell you but I can't move." Paralysis seems to have finally kicked in. "You still snore," Richie continues, his tone filled with amusement.

Embarrassed, she sits up. "Fuck you."

"Not today. But soon, I promise."

She glares at him, irritated by the sheer arrogance in his voice. He may be incapable of moving but his mouth seems to be working just fine. "You're an ass."

"Tell me something I don't know, Sweetheart."

"Don't call me that."

"Then what do you want me to call you?"

"Nothing." She turns around, sitting with her back to him. "I just want you to get out of my life."

"I can't do that, Kate. I walked away once and it almost killed me. Seth. _You_. It was a mistake and I don't intend to make it again."

"You, you, you. It's always about you. No one else matters because it's always about Richie. You're the most selfish person I know!"

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Feeling agitated, she moves over to sit on the bed.

"You promised you wouldn't leave," he reminds her.

"Unlike you, I keep my word. I'm not going anywhere, but that doesn't mean I have to look at you." She glances at the clock; it's almost one in the morning. It's been a long night and she's exhausted. Pulling the sheets over her, she lies down on the mattress.

"Who was he?"

At first she contemplates staying mum but eventually her curiosity wins out. "What are you talking about?"

"Who was the guy you lost your virginity to?"

"How's that any of your business?"

"Hey, I'm just trying to kill time with some conversation. It's either this, or me lying awake and listening to you snore."

"Shut up!"

He chuckles.

She knows he's goading her, teasing her deliberately, and she really shouldn't respond but both brothers have always been really good at provoking her temper.

"So, who was he?"

Thinking back to the guy she met at the coffee shop she worked at two years ago, Kate finally answers. "Aaron."

"Sounds like a loser."

"He wasn't a loser. He was nice, sweet. Pretty much perfect."

"There's no such thing as perfect."

"Maybe not but he was the closest thing to it."

"Where's Prince Charming now?"

She doesn't respond.

"Don't leave me in suspense, Kate. I'm just dying to find out if this crappy romance has a happy ending or not."

"It doesn't."

There's a brief pause before he speaks again. "What happened?" he asks softly, almost hesitant.

"I left him before he could leave me."

Tension fills the air, thick and palpable.

"Did you love him?" Richie prods.

"No. I don't think I have it in me to love people anymore."

"Yeah. Sure."

His condescending tone sets her blood boiling and it takes all of her willpower not to throw something at him. "Fuck you, Richie!"

"You don't like hearing the truth? Too fucking bad. You have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever known. You're amazing, and beautiful, and you see the best in everyone. You make people want to be better. That hasn't changed. It never will."

"That girl's been dead for a long time, Richie."

"Don't give me that bullshit. If that was really true, you would have left me here alone. But you didn't."

"I'm really regretting that decision now."

He chuckles.

"Maybe this is all a ploy on my part," she adds. "When you're sleeping, I'll put a stake through your heart."

"If that'll make you feel better, I'll give you the fucking stake myself."

"I don't believe you."

He ignores her words. "These last few years, it's been miserable. Before you, Seth and I were fine. All we needed was each other. And then you came along and it just... it changed everything. For me, for him. I thought once you left things would go back to the way they used to be, but it never did. It hasn't been the same, not even close. Everything feels hollow, empty, when you're not with us."

Her heart soars, and a small part of her aches to believe him - but she can't, not when fear lurks in every corner of her soul. After everything that's happened, she can't trust Richie. Not at all.

Suddenly there's a loud banging on the door, startling her.

"I know Richie's in there, Kate. Open up or I'm going to kick this door in," Seth threatens from the hallway.

"He's not kidding about the door," Richie drawls. "I've seen him do it many, many times."

"Shut up!" _Great, just great. Exactly what I need, Kate _mutters to herself as she contemplates her next move.


	17. Chapter 17

Seth has always hated the feeling of losing control, not really a surprise considering his sick fuck of a father who took sadistic pleasure in making him feel afraid and helpless. In a strange way though, his need to exert control has saved his ass - and Richie's - countless times over the years. Richie may be a fucking genius when it comes to planning jobs but his brother can also get easily distracted if something unexpected occurs - no matter how small or insignificant the problem may be. He, on the other hand, is great at executing plans because he never sweats the small details. Because of their own unique set of skills, he and Richie have always made good partners - but right now Seth wishes he'd walked out of his brother's life years ago. Or at least beat the fuck out of Richie so the asshole wouldn't be able to chase after Kate.

Kate. _Fuck._

He and Richie never talked about Kate these past few years. Suppressing their feelings was the only way they could both keep going and move forward. But now that she's back, all those emotions have resurfaced with a vengeance. Wracked with guilt, just the thought of seeing her again makes him want to retch. Because of him and Richie, her life is a fucking mess. He has no idea how to come to terms with that, what to do; he feels powerless and ashamed, and this time he doesn't even have Richie to support him through this. Before they used to be on the same page when it came to Kate; now, however, his brother is on a completely different wavelength. Since finding out about her, Richie's been on a mission to track her down, to get her to come back into their lives, and it boggles Seth's mind that Richie doesn't seem to realise how fucked up that is, not to mention impossible considering how much Kate hates them both.

He warned his brother repeatedly not to confront Kate, to leave her alone, but of course his pleas fell on deaf ears. And now Richie's been gone for hours and every instinct in his body's telling him the jackass is in trouble.

Seth pounds on the door again, louder this time. "Kate, open up. I know Richie's in there. Open up or I'm gonna kick this door in!"

The door opens and there's Kate standing there, staring at him with sheer contempt on her face. "Richie?" He pushes the door open, careful to avoid any physical contact with her and steps inside. Right away he spots his brother lying on the floor and rushes towards him. "Richie! You okay?"

Relief surges through him when Richie gives him a stupid grin. "I'm good. Hanging in there."

"Get up."

"Can't."

Seth kneels down, peering at Richie with concern. "Why not?"

"I shot him up with venom. He won't be able to move for a while."

Anger surges through Seth, and he glares at Kate. "You did _what_?"

"Just be grateful that I didn't kill him!"

"I get it. We fucked up your life. You hate us. But torturing him like _this_? Seriously? He did what he did to _protect_ you. And yeah, things didn't work out exactly the way he planned but his intentions were good."

"As far as I'm concerned, you're both assholes!"

"If you're gonna be pissed at anyone, be pissed at _me_! I knew it was a dumbass idea to push you away but I went along with it anyway!"

"Hey, don't yell at her!" Richie speaks up.

"I'll take my anger out on whoever I damn well please," Kate fires back at the same time.

Jaw clenched with frustration, Seth turns back to Richie. "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore. Just feel numb all over."

"You think blood'll help?"

"I don't know, Seth. I've never been poisoned before."

"How about you cut the attitude, _Richard_? I'm just trying to help." Seth rolls up his sleeve.

"You taste horrible," Richard grumbles.

"Be grateful, bitch. People ain't exactly lining up to be your happy meal." Resting Richie's head on his lap, he holds his wrist over his brother's mouth. "Alright. Drink up."

"I can't fang out, fuckhead. I'm paralysed, remember?"

"Yet your big fat mouth seems to be working just fine."

"Oh my god, you guys are ridiculous!" Kate spits out.

Seth watches intently while she storms towards them, picking up something from the table along the way. He stiffens when she kneels down next to him and Richie, even more so when he realises she's holding a swiss army knife. "You don't have to do this."

She casts him a brief glance but doesn't say anything, her eyes still fuelled with rage. Puncturing her skin, she holds her hand over Richie's mouth.

It's been a long time since he's watched his brother drink blood (Richie usually feeds in private) probably because Richie knows the whole thing tends to gross him out. But at this very moment as Kate sits in front of him, her long hair cascading down her chest, cheeks flushed red with anger, he realises this whole feeding ritual isn't all that bad. In fact, it's beautiful. _She's_ beautiful.

He studies her like a hawk, her pale, creamy skin so soft and smooth it takes every inch of resolve he has not to reach out and run his hands down her arm. She shifts unexpectedly, moving closer, and her head is practically leaning on his shoulder and all he can think about is how great she smells, like vanilla, or maybe cherry blossoms all mixed up together. _Fuck_. What the hell is wrong with him?

Minutes pass, the air thick with silence.

At first Kate seems intent on avoiding both him and Richie but eventually Seth catches her gaze locking with Richie's. She seems to be caught in a trance, enthralled or something. He may not be a fucking vampire with superpower senses but he knows women, he knows what gets them aroused, and Kate is just that as she sits in front of him, trying to pretend she's not turned on as Richie feeds from her. He can practically smell the excitement rushing through her blood, can _feel_ her body react to Richie's machinations.

Instinctively he reaches out to touch her hair, his fingers gliding through the silky strands. She finally meets _his_ gaze.

His heart's pounding in his chest, as is hers. Her lips part a little, she can't breathe either, and his eyes are automatically drawn to her mouth. Before he can stop himself, he closes his lips over hers.

As much as he's tried to deny it, he's always wondered what she'd taste like, what her mouth would feel like under his. And _fuck_. It's better than anything he's imagined. It's pure fucking heaven.

He kisses her like a dying man in need of salvation, rough and desperate. And she returns the kiss with equal ferocity, her hand still hovering over Richie's mouth, like she needs to be connected with the both of them.

Suddenly, she pulls away. Eyes frantic, breathing laboured, her gaze wavers back and forth between him and Richie.

One look at her troubled face and Seth wants to kick himself. What the hell was he thinking? No wonder she's looking at the both of them like they're fucked up messes because that's exactly what they are. _Shit. Shit. Shit._

She gets up and rushes out, slamming the door behind her.

"Do I really need to tell you to go after her?"

Seth pushes Richie off his lap. "Shut. Up. Richard." Angry with himself and his fuckhead of a brother, he sits down on the floor.

* * *

**A/N - Just wanted to say thank you to all those who're reading and taking the time to comment. It means a lot to me and I appreciate it very much. **


	18. Chapter 18

It's cold outside, freezing actually, and the tequila she's been drinking for the last hour has done nothing to warm her up. She's not even the slightest bit tipsy and she _hates_ that. There have only been a few times when she's been drunk, all of them years ago when she was still a teenager, with Seth by her side. Memories from the last time she was wasted flash through her mind. They were still in Mexico and it had been Seth's birthday. Of course he hadn't volunteered that information, she happened to notice the expired license he still carried with him and remembered the date. He'd been in no mood to celebrate but she had dragged him to the bar and he'd insisted she take a few shots with him. Tequila was their poison of choice that night and they both paid for it with a killer hangover the next morning.

She takes another swig of the bottle and swallows the liquid. Nope, nothing. She might as well be drinking water. Closing her eyes, she lays back on the pool chair. Unfortunately images of both brothers assault her brain, tormenting her.

"You alright?"

She turns to find Seth standing a few feet away. He seems concerned and embarrassed, even a little shy, and she reminds herself it's just an act. The Gecko brothers are setting up a job and that's the only reason they're here. "I will be as soon as you leave me alone." She takes another shot, staring at the water in the pool.

"Maybe slow down on the tequila."

"Maybe mind your own business."

"You can't handle your liquor, Kate. We both know that."

"Oh please, I can drink you under the table."

"Says the girl who gets hammered after two wine coolers."

"That was three years ago. Things are different now."

"If you say so, Princess."

"I'm not your fucking princess, and I'm not your brother's sweetheart."

"You _are_ a regular barrel of laughs though."

"Why are you here?" she snaps.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry about... upstairs. I was worried about Richie and you were helping him and I just... I was grateful and I got carried way. It was a mistake. It's never gonna happen again."

She holds his gaze for a moment. A sharp thrill jolts through her body, making her insides ache with pleasure and pain, and she quickly averts her eyes from him. "Is this a change in tactic?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Richie shows up, tries to sweet talk me. And when that doesn't work, you try the same thing. You guys must really want that dagger badly."

"I doubt Richie gives a fuck about that now. As soon as he heard about you, you're all that he's been obsessing about. "

"Isn't that sweet," she mutters.

"He's in love with you."

"Sure he is."

"It's the truth."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't care."

"Let me guess. You're in love with me too."

"Don't flatter yourself, Princess. You're not my type."

His words sting, even hurt, but she tells herself at least he's being honest - a far cry from Richie. "Take your brother and get out of my life."

"It's not gonna be that easy."

"Why? You guys did a bang-up job of it three years ago."

"And look how fucked up that turned out. We did it to keep you safe and it ended up fucking up your life even more."

"And what? Harassing me now is going to undo the damage? It can't."

"You think I don't know that, Sugar?" Seth snaps. "If I had a choice I wouldn't be here right now. And I wouldn't let Richie bother you either but I can't control what he does. He loves you, and he has this idea in his head that _we're_ supposed to be together-"

"_We_? Meaning what?" She levels him with an angry stare. "As in the three of us?"

Seth is the one to look away this time.

"So how would that work? The two of you would share me? Like I'm a slut who gets passed back and forth between the two of you? "

"Alright, alright, just stop-"

"Oh wait, never mind. I'm not your type, right? Does Richie know that?"

"Shut up, Kate."

A bitter laugh escapes her throat. "I don't need you, Seth. And I don't need Richie. I've been doing just fine on my own."

She turns away from him, focusing her attention back on the pool.

"When we're alone, we're lost. We're stronger when we're together. You said those words, Kate. _You_. You said that to Frost when we were stuck in the tunnels at the Twister."

She remembers that night; it feels like it was a lifetime ago. "I was a very stupid girl back then."

"No, you weren't. You refused to give up, and you made us have hope even though there was no reason to. And we got out of that hell."

"You and Richie did, but I lost everything that night. My father, my brother. My entire life. And just when I thought I got a little bit of it back, you and Richie yanked it away again. So you can save your bullshit lecture. Sooner or later, we _all_ end up alone."

"The pastor didn't. He had _you_ with him, all the way till the bitter end."

"Leave him out of this!"

"Fine. Then let's talk about Richie. I know my brother, Kate. He's a stubborn asshole, but he loves you."

"The only person Richie's capable of loving is you, and you, him. Everyone else gets chewed up and thrown aside once they serve their purpose."

"That's bullshit."

Kate downs the remaining contents of the bottle and sets it aside. Pulling up her knees to her chin, she wraps her arms around herself. "Really? I asked Richie about the woman you were with at the mansion. You looked happy with her. Turns out, you were just using her like you used me."

"It's not true. Richie only said that because he doesn't like Vanessa."

Jealousy surges through her. "Vanessa? Your ex-wife?"

"Yeah."

"She's pretty."

"I know."

"Does she know how much of a bastard you are?"

"She has a pretty good idea."

"Obviously not if she took you back."

"I don't want to talk about her."

"No, you'd rather try and convince me to be your brother's sex slave."

"For fucks' sakes!" He approaches her, pulling up a lounge chair close - but not too close. "God, what is it with you women? Why do you have to blow everything out of proportion? I get it, Richie's intense, but that doesn't mean he's a freak or a psychopath or a rapist-"

"I never said he was."

There's a brief pause before he continues. "Vanessa thinks that about him. She knows better than to say it to me but she hates Richie."

"So do I. Looks like Vanessa and I have something in common."

"You don't hate him. You want to but you don't."

There's that smug arrogance she hates so much.

"You could have staked him a hundred times over these last few hours but you didn't. And you didn't have to feed him your blood, but you did. You know what that tells me? This lone ranger routine of yours is an act, that's all. And when Johnny Depp can't pull it off, what makes you think you can?"

"Explain something to me. Why is Santanico still alive? I mean, you and Richie have been at this for a while now. I've only been tracking her for a year and I'm probably just as close as you guys are to getting her. Why is that, Seth? Why isn't she dead yet?"

He doesn't answer right away, and every instinct in her brain screams he's hiding something.

"It's not that easy."

She shakes her head. "Nothing ever is with you Gecko brothers. Look, I'm just really, really tired of your lies. Can you please shut up for a while? I need some rest."

"Then go to your room. Get some sleep."

"I can't. Not with Richie there." She can feel Seth's gaze studying her, watching her intently, so she turns away, closing her eyes. They spent many a nights like this over the course of their year together. Sometimes he would be drunk and she'd have to help him to their motel. Other nights she'd fall asleep by the pool and he'd carry her back to their room. It's terrifying how easily a part of her is ready to fall back into old patterns with him.

"Kate, you don't have to worry. I'm not gonna let Richie hurt you."

"He's not the only one who hurt me." She doesn't open her eyes. "Who's going to protect me from you?"

He doesn't respond, and she doesn't prod for an answer. Frankly, there's nothing he can say she'll believe.

* * *

Seth watches her for a while. He should stop, because he's acting like a full-on creep watching her sleep at this point, but he can't help himself. There's always been something comforting about being around her and it's been years since they've had a night like this.

Eventually he picks her up and takes her back to her room, like he's done many, many times in the past. As always, she doesn't stir nor does she wake up.

He places her on the bed, next to Richie.

"Is she alright?" Richie asks.

"Still pissed. You?"

Richie wiggles his fingers. "Sensation's coming back. Slowly."

"Keep those hands to yourself, Richard. Don't touch her. Let her sleep."

"Because raping sleeping women is such a fetish of mine?"

"Shut up." He walks over to the other side of the bed, takes a seat on the nearby chair and puts his legs up on the coffee table. He doesn't say anything, simply watches as Richie runs his fingers through Kate's hair gently, carefully, so as not to wake her.

"I think I know why the attacks got worse."

Seth peers at Richie. waiting. "Why?"

"Because," Richie says softly, his attention still fixated on Kate. "I don't think she's human anymore."

* * *

**A/N - As always, thank you for the wonderful feedback. I'm not even going to lie, I started working on the next chapter much earlier than planned because of the encouraging comments :)**


	19. Chapter 19

Kate sits on the beach, watching the sun disappear into the horizon. The sky is a bright orange, the air balmy. The waves in the ocean crash against each other, loud and chaotic, and she can see a violent twister fast approaching them, threatening to eat up everything in sight. But she's not scared, not really. This is where she belongs.

"Kate?"

She turns around and her heart explodes with happiness. "Daddy?"

He has a warm smile on his face, the same one he always wore whenever he looked at her mom. "How's my Katie-Cakes?"

"Come on, don't call me that."

"You used to love it when you were a kid."

"I'm not a kid anymore."

"No." He takes a seat next to her. "You're not."

They sit there for a long time, her head resting on his shoulder, staring at the fast-approaching twister. "I miss you so much, Daddy."

"Me too, pumpkin."

"Are you happy?"

"No. How could I be?"

His answer catches her by surprise and she turns to look at him. "What do you mean?"There's a strange glint in his eyes, one she doesn't quite understand. A moment ago she felt safe and loved, and now something feels strange. Like she's caught in a world where everything's topsy-turvy and nothing makes sense. "What's wrong?"

"I'm burning in hell, love. Not exactly a happy place."

"But why?"

"Well." His voice is vicious, filled with hate. "I can't pass through the pearly gates if my slut of a daughter is fucking both the Gecko brothers, can I?"

Shame spirals through her. "I'm not, Daddy. I swear."

He grabs her hand, squeezes it hard. "But you will, honey. You will. Sooner or later you're going to spread your legs for both of them. And then you'll end up burning in hell, just like Scott and your Mama and me." His fingers dig into her skin, causing her to bleed. "I guess there is a bright side to all of this. We'll be a family again."

"Daddy, stop!" she screams, trying to pull her hand away from his grip. "Stop! You're hurting me!"

Her pleas fall on deaf ears. Suddenly he morphs into a vampire and his claws rip apart her neck. Blood gushes out of her. She's drowning in it, screaming, the pain unbearable.

The next moment she finds herself sitting on stage at the Titty Twister. The place is empty save for the mutilated body parts spread all over the floor. And blood. There's blood everywhere, marking the floor, the walls. She looks down and finds her clothes covered in blood as well.

"Happy meal for vampires. That's what you look like right now."

She turns around to find Seth walking towards her. He closes the distance and sits down, their legs dangling off the stage. "Do you think we'll ever leave this place?" she asks, surveying their surroundings.

"Why do you want to?" Seth asks. "This is where we belong."

She turns to him, surprised. "Doesn't it scare you?"

He leans in closer, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm scared shitless, Princess. Can't you tell?"

The way he's looking at her, like she's the center of his universe or something makes her insides melt. Excitement rushes through her blood. She feels heady, high.

All of a sudden she's straddling Seth, guiding him inside her body. Her hips buck against his, setting a slow, rhythmic tempo as she makes love to him. Pleasure courses through her veins and she feels the unexpected urge to taste him, drink him in. Her mouth closes over his, kissing him with a hunger that reaches the very depth of her soul, and soon her fangs sink into his neck, tasting the rich, smooth essence of his blood.

"You like it rough, don't you?" he teases.

"Only with you."

He grins. "Liar."

She's with the man she loves. She should be the happiest girl in the world right now but something doesn't quite feel right. A part of her is missing. She feels empty, vacant even as her body hurls towards climax.

Seth flips her over and she's lying on warm sand again. Except it's not Seth thrusting inside her anymore. It's Richie.

Her legs wrap around his waist. Wild and fast, slow and torturous, he fucks her with a thoroughness that leaves her breathless and begging for more.

"Say you love me," he orders, his blue eyes piercing right into her very core.

"I love you."

"Say you want me."

"I want you."

"Only me. Not Seth."

She can't bring herself to say the words. They remain stuck in her throat.

"Say it, Kate," Richie repeats, anger lacing his voice.

"I can't."

He yanks her hands over her head, holding onto her wrists so tightly she can feel his nails slowly cutting through her skin. His hips grind down on her, rough and violent, intentionally bruising her, punishing her. "Because you want Seth too?"

"Yes," she confesses, tears burning her eyes.

"There's a name for girls like you." His eyes are cold, hard. "Actually, many names. Want to know what my personal favourite is?"

"Stop!" she begs.

"Kate the whore. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Stop! Please just stop!"

"Hey bro, when do I get my turn?" Seth asks, appearing next to them. He has the same disdainful smile on his face that Richie does, and they're both looking at her like she's _nothing_, just a body for them to use and discard.

"As soon as I'm done with her," Richie groans, pounding into her.

She closes her eyes, pleading for it all to stop.

They take turns violating her, degrading her, and she doesn't defend herself or fight back. She simply lays there, taking it, and a part of her wonders if she's beginning to enjoy their humiliation of her.

"What happened to you?"

It's her dad's voice calling out to her. She blinks and finds herself sitting beside her dad again in the RV.

"You used to be such a good little girl. Clean, and pure, and sweet, and innocent."

Rage sweeps over her. "Want to know what happened? Mama died, and you died, and now I'm all alone."

"That's no excuse to whore around with the Gecko brothers," he scolds.

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Daddy. Not anymore. You're dead."

"And if I wasn't, would you still love them both?"

Kate wakes up with a start, her heart pounding in her chest, body covered in sweat. At first she's confused, wondering why there's a stranger's jacket draped over the chair when the events of last night dawn on her. _Seth. Richie_. They're back. But she's all alone in the room, except for the hushed whispers in the hallway. She slides out of bed and tip-toes to the door.

"We have to tell her."

"We don't know _what_ she is! Why freak her out when we don't even know the truth yet? Let's just find out what's going on first and then tell her."

"Kate has a right to know."

She swings the door open, catching the brothers by surprise. "What's going on? What are you hiding from me?"


	20. Chapter 20

Richie lies beside Kate while she sleeps, her face calm, peaceful. For so long he clung to the idea that she was safe and living the life she deserved, wanted. The thought of her happiness was the only thing that consoled him during those times when the emptiness was so overwhelming he felt dead inside, like decaying matter slowly decomposing into a big mass of nothingness, and not even his brother - the only other person he loved in this entire fucking world - could pull him out of that darkness. And in the end, all that pain and suffering was for nothing.

She stirs next to him, moaning, her eyebrows furrowed, causing him to wonder if she's having a nightmare. He threads his fingers through her hair, gently, comforting her. If what he suspects is true, then she's in for one hell of a battle, and this time he and Seth will be there to fight by her side. She'll never have to deal with anything alone again, even if she doesn't want their help. "I think I know why the attacks got worse."

"Why?" Seth probes.

"Because." Richie traces the curve of her cheek. "I don't think she's human anymore."

"What?" Instantly Seth is on his feet, yanking Richie towards him. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"Want to keep your voice down? You're the one who said she needs her rest, remember?"

Seth looks frustrated as hell, like he's ready to explode any second if Richie doesn't answer his questions.

"Help me up," Richie continues, pointing to the hallway.

Seth takes off his jacket and throws it on the chair before helping him stand up. Parts of his body still feel numb but Richie manages to hobble to the hallway with Seth by his side. Once the door is shut behind them, Richie leans back against the wall for support.

"Enough with the stalling. What the hell do you mean she's not human?" Seth demands.

"Was I not speaking English?"

"Want a black eye to go with that limp body?"

Richie smirks, pulling out a cigarette from the inside of his jacket pocket. Seth lights the cigarette for him and Richie inhales a long breath, the smoke burning the back of his throat. He loves that feeling, he always has. "When I showed up here, she had all these bruises on her arms and shoulders. They were pretty brutal."

"How?"

"I think she was attacked."

"Fuck!" Seth growls, angry at himself.

"The bruises are completely gone now. Like they were never there to begin with."

Seth arches his eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. "And?"

"Her blood. It's... amazing. It's like nothing I've tasted before."

"Are you kidding me? That's what you're basing this crazy-ass shit on?" Seth shakes his head, exasperated. "Fucking unbelievable."

"Listen to me, you idiot. I'm telling you the truth. I don't know _what_ she is, but I know she's not just human. It's almost like she' s a _culebra_ but not really. I mean she can obviously still get hurt, and she doesn't heal right away but it's still quicker than how a normal person would heal. And there's this..." Richie scrunches up his face, trying to find the right words to describe his thoughts. "Her blood, it just kinda hums in your throat."

Seth throws his hands up in the air. "You're high, Richie. That venom fucked up your brain."

"I'm telling you, bro, something's up. She glows. I mean, she's always glowed. That's probably why I didn't even notice it when I first saw her tonight. But now that light isn't dim, it's full-on bright, like blindingly bright, and I think that's why the vampires keep coming after her. They can sense there's something different about her blood."

Seth stares at him, disbelief written all over his features. "So you think she's some kind of half-human, half-vampire glowstick? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense."

"We have to tell her."

"Tell her _what_? We don't know anything! Why freak her out? Let's just find out what the hell is going on first."

"She has a right to know, Seth. I don't want to keep things from her anymore."

The door opens all of a sudden and Kate is standing there, angry, confused. _Beautiful_. "What's going on? What are you hiding from me?"

Seth casts a quick glance in Richie's direction before turning his attention back on Kate. "Richie's a little fucked in the head right now. He's not making any sense."

"No, Seth. I'm fine." Richie catches her gaze, holds her stare for several seconds, wishing there was some way he could ease her pain at what's about to come next. "I think I know why the vampires keep attacking you."

She swallows an audible breath, eyes brimming with trepidation. "Why?"

"Richie, don't," Seth warns.

"Seth, shut up!" she shrieks, sounding desperate. "I want answers. You owe me that at least."

"Yeah, I do." Richie takes a step forward, cigarette dangling between his fingers. "That night I gave you my blood, I think something changed within you. Or maybe there's another reason why, I don't know."

Seth shakes his head, muttering to himself. "This is nuts."

"Spit it out, Richie!"

If he had a working heart, it would be pounding in his chest right now. A cloud of gloom and dread hangs over his head; he feels sick to his stomach. He takes one last puff of his cigarette - liquid courage in vapour form - before butting it out against the wall. "You're not human anymore, Kate. I think you're some unknown form of _culebra_. Not like me, but similar."

He expects shock, rage, possibly denial, but when Kate starts laughing _he's_ the one astonished. And taking in Seth's dumbfounded expression, so is his brother.

"You think I'm a fucking vampire?" Kate expels between giggles. "Really? You're supposed to be the smart brother and this is what you came up with?"

"Guess that means I'm the pretty one," Seth says.

Richie's impatient gaze wavers back and forth between Seth and Kate, waiting for them to snap out of it. "I'm not just talking out of my ass here."

"No bro, I think you are."

Richie reminds himself to stay calm, be patient. "Kate, you had all those bruises earlier today. They're gone now."

"Yeah, so? People heal."

"That quickly?" Richie counters, leveling her with a keen stare. "That's not possible."

"Whatever. That doesn't mean I'm a vampire."

"But you're not exactly human either." Something flickers in her gaze - maybe fear, possibly irritation - and he realises his words are finally hitting home. "You have this bright light around you now and I think all vampires see it. They can tell right away there's something unique about you. That's why they keep coming after you."

"Bright light? What, like an aura?" she asks.

"No, that's ridiculous."

"Oh, _that's_ ridiculous?" Seth pipes in.

"Then what do you mean? Do I sparkle or something?" Kate's eyes narrow, filled with disgust. "Are you really trying to use _Twilight_ lines on me now?"

"Okay, Princess." Seth steps in between them. "Calm down."

"No, I'm not going to calm down. And I'm not going to listen to this shit. I'm _not_ a vampire! I don't drink blood, remember?"

"I never said you were a full vampire. Obviously you've retained a lot of your human-"

"Stop talking about me like I'm some kind of freak!" Kate yells.

"You're not a freak," Richie says calmly. "You're unique, and amazing. I wish you could see yourself the way I do."

Their gazes lock, fixated on each other. Even if he wanted to look away, it would be impossible. He can feel the excitement that's slowly starting to build and take hold of her senses. The connection between them has always been strong, intense, but now it's amplified to the extreme, and he wonders if it's because he's the one who turned her.

"I'm not falling for this," Kate bites out, her guard up again. "The two of you can go to hell."

"Hell's gonna have to do without us for a while," Seth snarks. "Richie and I are sticking around. You're not going to be fighting those bloodsuckers alone."

"Too little too late. I don't need you anymore."

"Maybe we need _you_," Richie speaks up, joining his brother.

"Tough shit. I have things to do, and a life of my own. The two of you don't get to barge in and screw it up again just because you feel like it." She slams the door shut in their face.

Seth pounds on the door. "My jacket's still in there, Princess."

"Get lost!"

Seth turns around, levels him with a condescending glare. "Really? Glowstick? That was the best you could come up with?

Richie shrugs his shoulders. "It's the truth."

"Yeah, great. Did us a lot of good."

"How about you quit your whining so we can go get a room? Think you can handle that?"

They start walking down the hallway, towards the elevators.

"You got off easy, Richard. You realise that, right?"

"Fuck you."

"I'm surprised she didn't stake you."

"I'm surprised she didn't shoot _you_."

The elevator doors open and they step inside.

Seth hits the ground button. "It's been a long fucking night. I want a beer, a bed-"

"And Kate?" Richie taunts, looking at his brother.

"Fuck you."

Smirking, Richie returns the sentiment by flipping off his brother.


	21. Chapter 21

The next day Kate returns to the hotel room after running errands for most of the afternoon. A part of her almost expects the Gecko brothers to be in there waiting for her and it's a relief when she finds her room empty, actively ignoring the feeling of disappointment that also crops up. The last thing she should want is Richie or Seth turning up, especially tonight when she can't afford to lose focus, and she chastises herself for being so foolish.

She walks to the bed to drop off her recent purchases. The red dress she bought stares back at her, taunting her. It's short, tight, and moulds to her body like second-skin. If she plays her cards right, it will be the very thing that gets her into Conrad Ford's party. Apparently he has a thing for young slutty girls and she intends to play the role to the hilt.

A phone rings, echoing throughout the room, and she realises it must be Seth's cell. Walking over to the couch, she picks up his jacket. The subtle hint of his cologne fill her senses, bringing back a flood of memories from when they were in Mexico.

Despite living together for a year, nothing ever happened between them. He always treated her like a sister, teasing her like siblings often did, never crossing the line - but things are different now. When he looked at her at the mansion, it wasn't with brotherly affection; he wanted her, she could feel it every time his eyes were on her. And then he kissed her yesterday, and her world exploded all over again.

Images from last night assault her brain, tormenting her as it's done for most of the day. Seth's mouth roving over hers, frantic, desperate. Richie's lips on her hand, slow and seductive. Excitement surges through her at the thought of both of them, her body trembling with-

_No. No. No. _Her desires are _wrong_, disgusting; no normal girl would have such thoughts.

When the phone rings again in her hand, she picks it up for distraction. "Hello?"

There's a brief pause at first, followed by an angry demand. "Who's _this_?"

_Shit_.

Kate glances at the name on the screen. Vanessa, Seth's ex-wife and current... whatever. She hangs up the phone, puts it on mute, and slides it back inside Seth's jacket. The last thing she wants is to get involved in that mess.

A quick glance at the clock reveals it's almost eight which means she needs to get ready now. Picking up a few things from her small suitcase, she heads to the bathroom to take a shower.

* * *

Shortly after getting ready, Kate studies her reflection in the mirror, contemplating her appearance. The gold cross around her neck glistens under the light, looking absurd with the tacky dress she's wearing - but some guys get a kick out of that kind of contradiction and she has a feeling Conrad's that type. Hopefully, her sultry look will be enough to capture his attention tonight. If not, she'll have to think of some other method to get into his house. Whatever it takes to get her hands on his family heirloom ring, she'll do, because it's the last remaining key to bringing Santanico down and nothing is going to stand in her way of killing the vampire who took everything from her.

The loud pounding on her door brings her out of her reverie. Kate storms to the door to tell Richie and Seth to fuck off when she hears a female voice on the other side.

"Open up, Seth. I know you're in there with your slut!"

Kate stop mid-stride, pondering her next move.

"I'm not leaving until you open this door. I deserve some goddamn answers, you asshole!"

Reluctantly, Kate opens the door and finds herself face to face with a very pissed off striking brunette. At the mansion Kate had been too preoccupied with Seth to pay any attention to his date but now that his ex-wife is standing in front of her, she realises how frickin' gorgeous Vanessa is. Jealousy surges through her instantly.

"Really?" Vanessa stares her up and down. "How old are you?"

Kate ignores the question. "Seth's not here."

Vanessa pushes the door open and storms past her. "Where are you, you goddamn perv? Stop hiding behind your jailbait skank and come face me!"

Kate closes the door.

After Vanessa finally realises the room is empty, she turns around, frustrated, and glares at Kate. "Whatever he's promised you to get into your pants, it's all lies. That man is a filthy fucking liar."

"You're preaching to the choir."

"How long have you been fucking him?"

"I'm not."

"Really? I have a trace on his phone. I know he's been here for hours."

"No, his cell phone was in his jacket which he left here last night." Realising how that sounds, Kate quickly continues. "Not because something happened. Richie was here and Seth came looking for him. I didn't want to talk to either of them so I kicked them out."

"I don't believe you."

"It's the truth."

Vanessa scrutinises her for a long while, as if pondering whether to trust her or not. "You're the same girl who was in the mansion that night."

Kate purses her lips together. "Yeah."

"You were with him in Mexico."

Kate wonders how much information Vanessa really knows. While getting Seth to reveal anything substantial about himself is akin to pulling teeth, this woman is someone he's involved with. Maybe he's a lot more open with his girlfriend than he ever was with Kate. "For a while, yeah."

"How old were you?"

"What difference does it make?"

"Because I have a right to know if he was fucking a teenager or not!"

Kate takes a deep breath. "Seth may be an asshole, but he never hit on me."

"You've never slept with Seth?"

"No. Never."

Vanessa looks visibly relieved. "I'm sorry I called you all those names. I'm pissed at him, not you."

"It's fine. Don't worry. Those brothers tend to drive everyone crazy."

"I still don't understand what you were doing in Mexico. I mean, where are your parents? They didn't say anything while you cruised around with some guy?"

Apparently Vanessa doesn't seem to know much of what happened after all. Being the stubborn jerk that Seth is, he kept his girlfriend completely in the dark. "My parents are dead." God, it still hurts to say that. "And my brother... our relationship's kinda messed up. So no one really cared what I did or who I did it with."

"Oh, I'm... sorry."

Kate shrugs her shoulders, burying the pain deep down. "It's fine."

"You close to Richie?"

Kate starts cleaning up the dresser drawer. "No."

"Good. Be careful around that freak."

Kate tells herself to let it go, ignore Vanessa's words, but she doesn't heed her own advice. "He's not a freak."

Vanessa's right eyebrow arches up. "I've known him a lot longer than you. And he's done a lot of horrible shit."

"I know. Richie's messed up, but a lot of it was... someone else's influence."

"You better not be blaming Seth."

Kate shakes her head 'no'. "I'm not. Richie has all kinds of demons-."

"We've all got demons, sweetie," Vanessa interjects. "Doesn't mean we use it as an excuse to be assholes to everyone."

Something about those words strike a chord inside Kate.

"Seth's demon happens to be his jackass of a brother," Vanessa continues.

"When we were in Mexico, Richie and Seth were on the outs."

"What?" Vanessa asks, shocked.

"Seth wouldn't talk to him, or about him, he refused to acknowledge Richie's existence at all. You know Seth, he likes to bury all that pain and anger deep down and pretend it doesn't exist, but it was obvious he was hurting. Without Richie in his life, he was broken, an empty shell."

Vanessa doesn't respond immediately. "What happened between them? Why did they stop talking?"

Kate gives her a sad smile. "Someone came between them. A woman. Richie loved her, Seth hated her. Seth forced Richie to choose and Richie chose her."

A combination of sadness and rage floods over Vanessa's face.

"I'm sorry," Kate says. "I didn't mean to hurt you-"

"No, it's fine. I need this. I should've already heard this from Seth." Vanessa purses her lips, shaking her head with disbelief. "I never had the guts to ask Seth to choose, probably because I always knew he'd choose Richie. But Richie, wow. At least he was man enough to go after what he wants."

"He made the wrong decision," Kate points out.

"But that's besides the point. I just... I always used to think that it was Richie who clings to Seth."

"They _both_ cling to each other."

"Apparently Richie was able to walk away though, which Seth never did."

"Look, I've been around them when they're not speaking and, trust me, they're better when they're together. They bring out the best in each other. You wouldn't want to be with Seth if Richie wasn't there to balance him out."

Vanessa swallows an audible breath, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "But that's not what I want. Maybe I sound like a selfish bitch, I don't really care. I want to be the most important person to my man. And he'd be the same for me. Seth _is_. And I don't want to have to worry about Richie for the rest of my fucking life, his wants, his needs. I can't even stand him!"

"Seth isn't Seth without Richie though," Kate says quietly.

"Then maybe Seth isn't the man for me," Vanessa admits, resigned. "If he's not willing to put me first, why should I stick around? I deserve better than to be someone's second priority."

It's Kate's turn to fall silent.

"You know what pisses me off even more?" Vanessa asks. "Seth's a pretty possessive guy. He'd always get so pissy when I flirted with other guys. He wants me all to himself but I'm supposed to share _him _with Richie? Fuck that."

Vanessa's words further solidify what Kate already knew: that Richie's feelings for her are insincere. If he really loved her, he would want her for himself and he definitely wouldn't want to share her with his brother. But obviously Richie doesn't respect her, value her, and he certainly doesn't love her if he's willing to pass around her like a toy.

"Do you know where Seth is?" Vanessa asks.

Kate shakes her head. "I have no idea."

Vanessa gets up. "Thanks for the talk. I needed to hear that."

Kate gives her a small smile. "Me too."

Vanessa walks to the door, pausing for a moment when she's standing out in the hallway. "You have a date or something tonight?"

"Not really, but I'm trying to catch a guy's attention."

"Then get rid of the gloss and go with red lipstick. Trust me."

"Thanks."

The door closes behind Vanessa, leaving Kate all alone with her thoughts.

* * *

An hour later Kate is sitting on the front hood of her car, staring at the dark, empty field that borders the hotel. She should be on her way to the club, to try and seduce this Conrad guy, instead she finds herself unable to get up, to leave.

"I suspect that rum isn't doing anything," says a familiar voice.

She turns to find Richie approaching her. His stride is quick, his swagger confident. As always he's dressed impeccably in a suit and she wonders if he's ever worn a pair of jeans in his life.

She takes another swig of the bottle. "You're wrong," she lies. "I'm wasted."

"Yeah, right," he scoffs, stopping in front of her. "Liquor does nothing for you now."

His arrogance is infuriating and she wants to tell him to fuck off but the last thing she wants is to engage in a fight with him. So she remains silent, setting the bottle aside.

His eyebrows furrow. "What's wrong?"

She lies back on the car, staring up at the vast, starless sky. "Last week was Scott's birthday. I completely forgot. I didn't even remember until an hour ago." She closes her eyes. "No wonder he always felt so alone, like he didn't belong. I was a horrible sister to him."

"Are you kidding me with this shit?"

_To be continued..._

**A/N - As always, thank you for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

An hour later Kate is sitting on the front hood of her car, staring at the dark, empty field that borders the hotel. She should be on her way to the club to try and seduce this Conrad guy, instead she's wallowing in guilt and grief.

"I suspect that rum isn't doing anything," says a familiar voice.

She turns to look at Richie approaching her. His stride is quick, his swagger confident. As always he's dressed impeccably in a suit and she wonders if he's ever worn a pair of jeans in his life.

She takes another swig of the bottle. "Wrong. It's doing a fine job of getting me wasted," she lies.

"Yeah, right," he scoffs, stopping in front of her. "Liquor does nothing for you now, does it?"

His arrogance is infuriating but the last thing she wants is to rise to his taunts. Refusing to engage, she remains silent while setting the bottle aside.

He furrows his eyebrows, concerned. "What's wrong?"

She lies back on the car, staring up at the vast, starless sky. "Last week was Scott's birthday. I completely forgot. I didn't even remember until an hour ago." She closes her eyes. "No wonder he always felt so alone, like he didn't belong. I was a horrible sister to him."

"Are you kidding me with this shit?"

God, she really hated him, especially when he sounded like Seth. "I don't want to talk about this with you."

"Well, tough shit."

His hands glide down her calves, stopping at her ankles, wrapping his fingers around the bones. The unexpected intimacy sets off a billion fireworks throughout her body, making her quiver. Eyes still closed, she tells herself to calm down, to breathe, before her heart jumps out of her chest.

"You weren't a horrible sister. I saw you guys together, remember? It's obvious you guys loved each other, you were a real family."

"Then why isn't he here? Why did he choose vampires over me?"

"I don't know, Kate, there could be a million reasons. He was a teenager caught up in an extremely fucked up situation, it might have been the only thing that made sense at the time."

"I miss him so much. I've looked for him but I don't think he wants to be found."

"When he's ready to see you, he'll find you. Trust me."

"You don't know that. You don't even know him."

"I've been where he is. And I know, eventually, he'll want to come home."

She opens her eyes and finds Richie standing at the edge of the car, positioned between her legs. Her dress is hiked up, and maybe she should be more modest, but she's intoxicated under the piercing stare of his blue eyes. "Why did you choose to be a vampire?"

He gives her a bitter smile. "I didn't really have a choice. I was ready to die, to give up my life than be Santanico's bitch, but then I kept thinking about Seth and how he'd be trapped in that place. And even if he did get out, he'd be all alone or Santanico would kill him out of spite. I couldn't bear that."

Her heart aches for Richie, thinking about how difficult the choice must have been for him. After all this time, she can still sense his pain. He didn't choose to be a vampire for the power or immortality, he did it to keep his brother safe.

"The weird part is," Richie continues, his hands once again travelling up the length of her legs. "I don't even remember if I actually said yes to her. But I guess I must have."

"Santanico took everything from me. My dad, my brother, my whole life." She levels Richie with a keen stare. "I'm going to kill her. It's the only way I can move on."

He snakes his hands underneath her and gently brings her forward until she's sitting up. Face to face, he peers at her closely. "And what does moving on entail?"

"A normal life that doesn't involve vampires. College, maybe a boyfriend."

Jaw clenched, he leans in closer, his cold breath humming against her skin. "You really think it'll be that easy to slip back into normal?"

"Yes," she answers with determination.

"And here I thought the naive, gullible Kate was gone forever."

"Fuck you!"

"Ready and willing, Sunshine."

In one quick motion he pulls her forward along the hood of the car, closing his lips over hers. His tongue coaxes her mouth open, stroking her own; he doesn't just kiss, he explores, he savours, putting her senses on overdrive and leaving her body soaring under his touch, aching for more. Shit. She wraps her legs around his thighs for support, clinging to him as he kisses her with pure wanton lust that makes her blood boil with need and hunger and desire.

His hands are everywhere, grabbing her hair, lingering on her back, desperate, demanding, and she returns the gesture, her nails digging into the back of his neck.

God she wants him, she needs him, and she can't deny it - even if a part of her still hates him. All those lonely nights over the past three years, she'd imagined what it would be like to make love to him, how it would feel to have him inside her, and now her body is determined to find out if the reality matches her fantasies.

"Richie?" she murmurs as he sucks on the extremely sensitive corner where her neck meets her shoulder. Oh god. Every time he nips her skin, licks it, the sensation flows through her body like fire, gathering between her legs.

He doesn't respond, his fingers sliding up her thighs. He knows how to tease, to taunt, to make her writhe until she's a volatile mess of nerves and white-hot fluid. Her red lace panties glide down her legs under the expert touch of his hands.

Her fingers lace through his hair, gripping onto him tightly. "Richie?" she tries again.

His tone is agitated, filled with frustration. "Yeah?"

"I want to see you."

He pulls back to look at her, his eyes darkened with desire, her lipstick smudged over his lips. "I didn't realise I was invisible."

Out of breath, she gives him a shy smile. "I mean, I want to see you naked."

"Why?"

His suspicious tone takes her by surprise. "Because you're beautiful," she replies honestly. "And I want to touch you." Her hands span his chest, taking in the lean muscles hidden under the shirt. Under the penetrating force of his gaze, she removes his jacket and sets it beside her. He's stiff, rigid, and she wonders why he's so nervous. "You're acting like a virgin," she teases.

"I feel like one."

She casts him a curious glance. "Why?"

"I've never had sex with someone I love before."

She averts her eyes from his, focusing on his belt instead. His words echo in her head but she forces herself to ignore them.

"No response?" he taunts, covering her hand with his own when she tries to unzip his pants.

"What do you want from me?"

"Everything," he answers, confident, certain. Like he has a right to her body and soul.

"I can't give you that."

"You will."

"No," she persists. "I won't."

"Then this is enough for now." He nudges her back to lie down and she's staring up at him, caught between the heat of his hard body and the cold texture of the car beneath.

"You can play with me as much as you want, sunshine." His voice is a low raspy whisper, so seductive that her spine tingles with excitement. "But first I want to see you come."

Her breath catches in her throat, her body trembles with anticipation.

Holding her gaze, he hikes up the bottom of her dress. Long, lean fingers grip her thighs, pulling them apart. A sly smirk shapes his lips. "Promise you won't pass out this time?"

Her body instinctively jumps at the sensation of his mouth closing over the most intimate parts of her. She's wet, so wet as his tongue circles her clit, slow, fast, driving her crazy. One finger slides inside her, then another, hitting that ohgodohgodohgod... her hands lace through his hair, grabbing onto him as he continues his tender seduction. "Richie," she moans, quiet at first, and then louder and louder as the pressure builds within her body.

Pleasure is all she feels, her body a livewire of electricity, and then her orgasm hits. She's falling over the edge and it's nothing like she's experienced before, waves of pure ecstasy and release rippling through her even as his fingers continue to work her.

It's a long time before her heart slows down, before the fireworks finally stop. When she finally comes to her senses and opens her eyes, she finds him lying down next to her, watching her.

He cocks his eyebrow. "Still with me?"

She smiles, reaching down to unzip his pants. "Don't worry. I plan on returning the favour."

He returns her grin. "I fucking love you."

Her hands pause. "Look, you don't have to say that. I know what this is and I'm fine with it."

His body stiffens, and she can sense him getting angry. "And what is this, Kate?"

"Sex. That's all."

"Not for me it isn't."

She pulls away, sitting up. "Why do you have to make things difficult?"

"Because I want to be more than just a hook-up."

She scoots off the car. Slipping her underwear back on, she starts fixing her dress. As much as she doesn't want to break down in front of him, tears burn her eyes when she finally looks at him. "You're so offended at the thought of me using you for sex but you have no problem sharing me with your brother like I'm some kind of whore?"

"That's not-"

"No, don't you dare deny it! Seth told me your sick idea!" she interjects, shaking with rage. "You keep saying you love me but I don't believe you! I don't believe that your feelings are real. Because if you really loved me, you'd want me for yourself. The thought of you with other women, with Santanico, it makes me sick to my stomach! I hate it, I hate the idea of you fucking other women, loving them, kissing them, but you..." The lump in her throat hurts, her heart hurts. Her entire fucking body hurts. "Every time I think you can't hurt me anymore, you find a way." There's so much more she wants to say but she can't bear to look at him any longer. Swiping her tears, she turns around and walks away.


	23. Chapter 23

"Drinking alone. Why am I not surprised?"

Sitting at the hotel bar, Seth hears a familiar voice taunting him from behind. He doesn't turn around right away, and instead downs the remaining scotch in his glass to prepare himself for the inevitable outburst that's sure to follow. Over the years he and Vanessa have taken part in many a screaming fights in public, and this one will just be another one to add to the list. Resigned to his fate, he spins around to face his ex-wife. "What are you doing here?"

Much to his surprise, she doesn't scream or yell. She stares back at him with an unexpected resolve, her voice firm. "I came to say goodbye. Guess I could have left a pathetic voicemail message like you did but let's face it, I've always had bigger balls than you."

"I called you over and over again but you wouldn't pick up my phone."

"Doesn't matter now anyway."

His stomach clenches with anxiety. He's never seen her like this, so calm, resolute. She's always been a firecracker, volatile and passionate about everything. It was one of the things he first fell in love with until he realised how explosive their combination was. They brought out the worst in each other. The highs were high but the lows of their relationship, it had left scars that would remain with him permanently.

"We're done, Seth. I mean, we've been done for a long time, but I kept telling myself not to give up on you and I can't do that anymore. I'm a good woman, Seth. I'm a _great_ woman."

"I know."

"And I deserve a man who loves me, who'll put me first no matter what."

"You do."

"And I can't share you with anyone, not even with your family."

He remains silent, watching the beautiful woman in front of him. She had been his fantasy come to life, everything he'd ever wanted rolled into a gorgeous, vivacious package - but there's only so long she could put up with someone fucked up like him. Hell, she'd stuck around a lot longer than he'd expected. Sadness spreads through him as it finally sinks in they're really, truly over. "I'm sorry."

She shrugs her shoulders, gives him a sad smile. "It is what it is."

"I _do_ love you. I always have."

"It's not enough. I need more than what you can give me."

His gaze drops to the floor. "I've always been a little fucked up. You know that." She catches him by surprise when she steps closer, cradling his face in her hands. Her eyes peer at him closely, like they're memorising his face one last time.

"Be happy, okay? And don't let Richie fuck up your life anymore than he already has."

Her soft lips graze his temple and he wraps his arms around her, breathing her in one last time. It's a punch in the gut when she backs away and turns around, leaving him behind. He watches her disappear out of the hotel, out of his life. Forever.

* * *

Half an hour later Seth's drunk, fucking pissed off as hell, and all he wants is to scream but Richie isn't anywhere to be found; the asshole isn't answering his phone. Seth spins around in his bar stool, drink sloshing around in his glass and spilling all over the place. The motherfucker beside him is obviously annoyed but is too much of a pussy to say anything. So Seth continues to deliberately provoke him when he spots Kate running into the women's bathroom at the far end of the lobby.

He gets up, throws a handful of cash on the bar. "Adios."

"Good riddance," the asshole next to him whispers under his breath.

"What?" Seth taunts. "What was that? Did you finally grow enough balls to speak up?"

The guy ignores him.

"What? I'm having a conversation with myself now?"

"I didn't say anything."

"Really? I could have swore you just said 'get out of here'. Very rudely, I might add."

The bartender watches them both. "Look, we don't want any trouble here."

Seth glares at the old man behind the bar. "Fine. Then tell your customers to shut the fuck up."

He waits for the jackass to argue but he doesn't. _Pussy_. Feeling more agitated now, Seth storms towards the women's bathroom. He's itching for a fight, his body twitching with impatience. He enters the fancy bathroom, locks it behind him, all that pent-up emotion ready to explode at last when he finds Kate standing by the sink, crying.

In an instant all his anger is gone, replaced with panic and despair.

Her face is hidden beneath a veil of hair, her body trembling. He rushes towards her. "Kate, you alright? What's wrong?"

She looks at him, startled, her eyes red, face streaked with tears. "What are you doing in here?"

"Did someone hurt you?"

She swipes the tears from her face. "Yeah. Richie. And you. Over and over again."

She attempts to walk past him but he blocks her path, refusing to let her go. He peers at her, his hands curving around her waist. She's always been beautiful but now, _holy fuck_, she's incredible. He's hard, and he tells himself to snap out of it. This is ridiculous, it's not like he's a fucking teenager who can't control his erections anymore. He's a grown man for fucks' sakes.

"What do you want from me, Seth?" she asks, her voice filled with hesitation.

"I just want to talk. That's all. We used to be able to talk about anything, remember?"

He misses those days, when she was still so young and he cared about her without any of the complicated messiness that's between them now. In a weird way, he felt safe with her - which was ridiculous considering they were chased by vampires and hunters the entire time. But none of that mattered, because _she_ was with him.

"I was always the one blabbering," Kate points out. "You never liked to talk about anything important, just the most inane, ridiculous nonsense."

He smiles. "Bullshit." His breath catches in his throat when her fingers suddenly trace his jaw-line, her golden-green eyes staring at him with such intensity it's like she can see all the dirty thoughts running through his brain.

"Seth?" Her voice is soft, throaty, and he wonders what she would sound like when he's fucking her and she's screaming his name.

"Yeah, princess," he murmurs, leaning in closer.

"Tell me all of this is going to end one day, that I'll be a normal girl again. That my life isn't always going to be like _this_."

His heart breaks for her, he knows exactly how she feels. Vanessa was supposed to be his one shot at a normal life but he'd realised a long time ago how impossible something like that was for him, but Kate... she still has hope, and she _should_, and she deserves a chance at a regular life, happiness. He rests his forehead against hers. "Your life isn't always gonna be like this. You'll be normal, and happy, and you're gonna forget about all those motherfucking bloodsuckers after a while."

He can sense her relief, her breath humming against his skin. She's so soft, so beautiful, and he never wants to let her go.

"I'll be in college," she continues, her fingers running through his hair.

"You'll be in college, in one of those sororities, having pillow fights with hot chicks every night."

She smiles. "And I'll fall in love, with _one_ guy. And he'll be nice and sweet and everything I've ever dreamed about."

The idea of her with some frat boy makes Seth _sick_ to his stomach but he knows how much she needs to hear this, to believe it. "Sure. Whatever you want, sweetheart." His hands linger along her back, down the length of her body, cupping her ass, grinding her against him. Her eyes widen with surprise, like she finally realised how much he's turned on by her. He expects her to be afraid, to run, but she doesn't. Instead she presses herself tightly against him, and he can feel her hardened nipples beneath the thin fabric of the barely-there dress she's wearing.

"He'll be blond-haired and blue-eyed, and nothing like you or Richie."

Her words hurt and he realises she's deliberately taunting him, provoking him for a reaction. He shouldn't fall for her head games or play into it, but he can't help himself. "Then be prepared for a shit ton of disappointment." He knows exactly how much she detests him using the preacher's special little nickname for her and that's exactly why he does it. "Because your pathetic little boybander is never gonna be enough, _Katie-Cakes_."

There's contempt in her eyes, and hate, and it makes him happy to see that he can still get to her, that he always could. When she tries to push him away he overpowers her easily, grabbing the back of her head to pull her in for a kiss.

He's not soft or gentle with her; after all, she thinks he's trash anyway so what's the point in trying to prove her wrong? Instead he kisses her with a frantic intensity meant to frighten her, terrify her, but instead her hands wrap around his shoulders, and her body pulses against his, rubbing against him with a deliberate flow that gets him so hard he's ready to explode.

He picks her up, pushes her against the wall, using his knees to balance her weight. Teeth against tongue, kissing and biting, they tear into each other. Her fingers deliberately brush against the crotch of his jeans and he exhales a painful groan. His cock aches for her, his entire body dying to find out what it would be like to fuck her, make love to her, to have her mouth wrap around his cock and suck him off. _Oh fuck_.

In a heated rush of urgency while she kisses him possessively, he pulls down the neckline of her dress. She's not wearing a bra, her breasts exposed and he pauses momentarily, just staring at them. Her rosy nipples are hard, flushed pink against her pale, porcelain skin. She's beautiful, so fucking beautiful. With a hesitant touch he runs his fingertips along her puckered nipples, circling them, teasing them.

Her eyes are closed, her mouth swollen, open, her body arched against him. He wonders if he can make her come from touching her tits alone. Not many women can orgasm like that, but Kate's never been like other women. His tongue laps up her right nipple while his fingers play with the left, and she's crying out his name, begging him for more.

He bites the spot between her breasts and moves on to her left breast, sucking her skin so hard he leaves a mark, and her nails dig into his skull, holding him firmly in place so he can continue. She's so soft, so perfect, and he just wants to lose himself in her entirely.

Suddenly the sound of keys dangling drifts in from the other side but it's too late. Seth's too caught up in the pleasure to react when hotel security walks in, grinning ear to ear at the sight of them fooling around. "This is the ladies bathroom," says the rent-a-cop, a pervy smirk on his face, watching Kate like she's something he can't wait to bite into.

Kate's eyes fly open, reeling with confusion, embarrassment, _guilt_. Seth tries to help her with her dress but she shoves him away, pulling up the fabric as she runs past him and security. The old bastard leers at her from behind before turning around to face Seth. "We rent rooms for that kind of shit, you know. Can't just take over the bathroom because you got an itch to scratch, even if she is a hot piece of ass."

Seth knocks him out with a quick forceful punch across the jaw, feeling a small bout of satisfaction - until he remembers the pained expression on Kate's face. And then he just feels horribly sick.

**A/N - As always, thank you for reading. If you have the time, I'd love to read your thoughts!**


	24. Chapter 24

Two hours later Kate's finally at the Bovine Room, a sex club that Conrad Ford likes to visit often and is supposed to be at tonight. Her stomach is coiled into nervous knots, unsure of what she'll find inside, but once she starts strolling through the rooms she's surprised by how normal everything looks. There are couples walking around, some fully dressed with others in bathing suits and lingerie, groups of people laughing and chatting together. Just as she's convinced herself this place is like any other club, she spots a couple having sex in the opposite corner and her anxiety returns with a vengeance. _Breathe, relax_. She reminds herself to act like she belongs, that she _wants_ to be here.

After checking the main floor, she heads upstairs to find Conrad. A part of her wonders if she'll even be able to capture his attention considering all the gorgeous women around but that's a bridge she'll cross once she actually finds the guy.

The second floor mimics the feel of a dungeon rather than the country club vibe of the first. There are people in cages, dominatrices sauntering around with human pets following behind them. Everything feels surreal, like she's in the middle of someone else's nightmare.

Walking into a viewing room, Kate freezes when she sees three people making love on the other side of the panel. The woman is straddling one man while the other thrusts into her from behind. Hands clammy, heart pounding, Kate stands transfixed, watching as the three move in unison, their bodies locked, intertwined, fitting together perfectly.

She should be disgusted, horrified; instead, she's riveted by the sight of them.

Seth's face flashes through her mind just then, the way he looked at her, his eyes dark, his gaze hungry, staring at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her knees almost buckle at the thought of his mouth against hers, possessive, demanding. And Richie. _Oh God,_ _Richie_. None of the guys she's slept with over the last three years made her feel what Richie did tonight, how he made her come over and over again with his mouth and hands.

She gives herself a mental shake, telling herself to snap out of it. Her attention returns to the trio in front of her, except there are a lot more people in the room now. In fact, it's turned into an orgy. No longer beautiful, it's something ugly and vile, men grunting, women moaning, humping each other like livestock. Disgusted, Kate walks out of the room.

In desperate need of a drink for her parched throat, she heads to the bar. Shortly after, she finally spots Conrad Ford on the third floor. Grey-haired, heavy-set, he's an older man and a lot less distinguished-looking in person than his pictures suggest.

She takes a deep breath, and reminds herself why this is so important. He's the last thing standing in the way of killing Santanico. And once Santanico's dead, Kate will have avenged everything that happened to her family and be normal again.

Putting on her best come-hither smile, she walks towards Conrad, hips swaying seductively, eyes locked on him, her fingers deliberately playing with the cross around her neck.

He notices her immediately.

* * *

"There's no way she's in this fucking place," Seth declares, scanning the room for any signs of Kate. "What the fuck would she be doing at a sex club?"

"I don't know," Richie replies. "I just know she's in here somewhere."

"Woah, bro." Seth nudges him, almost giddy at the sight of a couple fucking in the corner. "They're really going at it."

Richie casts his brother an impatient glance. "Really? You're acting like a fucking twelve-year-old who's just discovered porn."

"Oh, please. Don't act like you're above this shit."

"Maybe I am, Seth. Maybe watching people fuck just isn't very interesting to me."

"Well it _is_ to _me_. And you know why that is, Richard? Because I'm normal. I'm a normal red-blooded man who likes to watch beautiful women have sex."

"Congratulations."

"And if you weren't so messed up about Kate, you'd be enjoying this right now too."

Richie levels Seth with a cold glance. "Who's the one who got into a jealous fit over Kate and punched a security guard tonight? Thanks for getting us kicked out of the hotel, by the way."

"I wasn't jealous. I just didn't like the way his face looked."

"Face it, brother. I'm not the only one messed up about Kate."

Seth grabs Richie's elbow, forcing his brother to confront him. "There's nothing going on between me and Kate."

Richie quirks his eyebrow. "You're a terrible liar, especially when you're loaded." He turns around and starts heading up the stairs. Seth follows behind him, grumbling to himself.

Few minutes later they're at the top level of the club when Seth finally spots Kate. She's sitting on some geezer's lap, laughing and giggling, as if she's having the time of her life. Instantly, he sees red. His blood boils with anger, every instinct screaming at him to pull Kate away from the fat bastard. How dare that asshole touch _his_ Kate? And what the fuck was wrong with her? Why was she flirting with him like that?

As if sensing his intentions, Richie immediately blocks his path. "Don't."

Seth sees the cold madness in his brother's eyes, and it reminds him of the time they were in the labyrinth where Richie didn't hesitate to slaughter anyone who got in their way. Richie may be acting calm, but it's just a facade. His brother is feeling the same rush of rage _he's_ feeling. "What's the plan?"

Richie looks over his shoulder at Kate. "We're going to have a conversation with her. That's all."

"And you think that'll be enough to get her out of here?"

Richie meets Seth's gaze. "She's a smart girl. She'll make the right decision."

Before they can make a move, however, Kate notices them. She whispers something in the geezer's ear before standing up and walking casually towards them. Her jaw clenched, face flushed with anger, she glares at them with contempt as she draws closer. "What are you doing here?"

"Who's the asshole?" Seth asks, trying his best to keep his attention on Kate's face and not let his gaze slide down to her breasts, her beautiful, soft breasts that he'd touched and licked and kissed and... _Fuck. Fuck. Fuck_. He was getting hard just thinking about her again. Luckily, she was too mad to notice.

"None of your business, Seth."

"I think you should answer the question, Kate," Richie replies. "Or I may have to go ask the asshole myself."

"Don't," Kate replies. "Don't fuck this up for me. He has a ring, it's a family heirloom that's made with some special kind of magic that can take down Santanico. It's the last thing I need to kill her."

Instantly Seth sobers up, dread forming in the pit of his stomach.

"What ring?" Richie asks. "Seth and I've been researching this for a long time. There's never been any mention of a ring."

"Really? How can you not know about the ring?" She shakes her head with disbelief. "Are you sure you guys aren't working _for_ Santanico?"

"I want her dead just as much as you do," Richie replies.

"I doubt that," Kate fires back.

"So what exactly was your plan, princess? You'd seduce the guy and he would just give it to you?" Seth prods, hoping the change in topic will be enough to distract Richie.

"I figured we'd go back to his place and I would look for it."

"Would that be before or after you fucked him?" Seth taunts, once again enraged at the thought of Kate with that prick.

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

Kate tries to walk away but Richie blocks her path. When she tries to retreat, Seth traps her from behind.

"What do you want from me?" she demands.

Richie's tone is cold when he replies. "Leave with us. Now."

"I told you I can't. I want that ring."

"And we'll get it," Seth answers. "Some way that doesn't involve you having to screw anyone."

Her heated gaze shifts back and forth between them. "Maybe I _want_ to screw him."

"I don't think so," Seth fires back. He looks to Richie for support and finds his brother calm, _too_ calm; instinctively Seth realises his brother is to very, very close to losing it.

"You don't own me, Seth. I'm not your property."

"If you don't leave with us right now, I'll rip that guy apart," Richie says, face covered in a blank expression, voice vicious.

Kate stares at him with disbelief. "You wouldn't do that."

Richie cocks his eyebrow. "Wouldn't I?"

"No, you wouldn't. Besides, Seth wouldn't let you."

Seth sneers, realising the threat's already working. "Don't confuse us for boy scouts, babe. Richie will do what he needs to do." He shrugs his shoulders non-chalantly. "I'll help in any way I can."

Her eyes soften with concern. "He's innocent. He hasn't done anything wrong!"

Richie leans down to meet her gaze. "He has his hands all over you. That's enough for me to want him dead."

"Well, so did Seth. But you don't seem to mind that."

Guilt floods through Seth and a part of him almost expects Richie to retaliate against him but his brother doesn't. Instead, Richie remains solely focused on Kate. "We're not going to talk about that here."

"Why not? Look around you. Everyone's fucking everyone else. This is the perfect place to discuss how you want to turn me into the Gecko family whore."

"Hey! No one is turning anyone into a whore!" Seth bites out, pulling Richie away from Kate. "We're leaving. Now. You either come with us, sweetheart, or the bastard's dead. You choose."

She glowers at them for several seconds before finally heading towards the stairs. He and Richie exchange grateful glances, following behind her.


	25. Chapter 25

They walk through the underground parking lot, Richie leading the way, Seth lingering behind, and with Kate stuck in the middle, seething with anger. "When are we going to get the ring?"

Richie doesn't respond, or even turn around.

"Do you have any idea how important this is to me?" Kate grabs his arm, forcing him to face her. "Or you just don't give a shit. It doesn't matter what _I_ want, right?"

He steps forward, pulls her into his arms. There is a storm raging in the blue pools of his eyes, and it's both frightening and intoxicating. "And what the _fuck_ do you want, Kate?" He spits out each word, like he can barely stand to speak. "Oh, that's right. You want normal, right? Normal life, normal boyfriend, normal sex." There is a cruel glint in his gaze, daring her to rise to his taunts. "But you're not normal, and you never will be. You can kill Santanico and every other goddamn vampire in this world but _nothing_ is going to change you back into the girl you used to be."

"Fuck you!"

"Richie," Seth speaks from behind, worried. "Let her go."

He doesn't, tightening his grip on her. "That girl is dead, she died a long time ago. But _you're_ not. You're alive, and you want things that that girl never wanted. And it scares you, it terrifies you, I know, but you need to get over all that bullshit and just accept the truth."

"Go to hell!"

Richie cups the back of her head, his long fingers digging into her skull as he draws closer. "You can fuck every white-bread out there, sunshine, but it's never gonna be good. And it's never gonna be enough, and it'll _never_ make you happy. Because what you want, who you want, is _us_."

She tries to shove him away but he's too strong. "I'm not a fucking whore for you to pass around!"

Hurt flashes in his eyes. "No, you're not." He rests his forehead on hers, cupping her face, and she doesn't understand how he can switch from intimidating to tender so quickly. "Be honest with yourself, Kate. You want me, and Seth, and you deserve to have everything you want." His eyes pierce into her, shaking her to her very core, leaving her aching and breathless. "I can feel it, every time you look at him, every time he's around you. You love him."

Heat rises in her cheeks. She feels exposed, vulnerable, knowing Seth is listening to everything Richie's saying.

"But you love me too."

She stops struggling, mesmerized by the intensity in Richie's eyes.

"I never thought someone could love _us_, understand us, but you do. You care about my brother as much as I do and it blows my mind." His lips trace hers, soft, gentle, light as a feather. "But this isn't just about Seth and me, Kate. You're happy when you're with us, _both_ of us. You can't deny that."

She closes her eyes, overwhelmed with emotions.

"We belong to you. And I swear, you'll never be alone. Seth and I will always be with you. And the three of us, we can take down Santanico. _Together_."

There is a longing in her soul that's aching to be fulfilled, and desperate to believe in Richie's promises. Her breath catches in her throat, her body trembles as his tongue curves along the shell of her ear, teasing her. Her fingers fist his shirt, clinging to him.

She wants this so, so badly.

Richie's lips close over hers in a slow, languid, tantalising kiss and the resulting pleasure shoots through every inch of her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. And then, suddenly, everything gets more keen, heightened because there's someone else behind her.

_Seth_.

His hands caress her hips, his lips grazing the back of her head, and she can't think, or breathe, or focus, not when Seth claims her with his body and Richie with his mouth. Her knees feel weak, like they'll give way any second now, and she leans back on Seth for support, one hand settling on Richie's shoulders, the other reaching back to grab Seth's hair at the nape of his neck.

Seth's breath is hot against her skin, licking and nipping, while Richie kneels down in front of her, his tongue teasing her nipples over the fabric of her dress before roving down the length of her body. She cries out loud, her body a white-hot boneless vessel of fluid while a pair of hands - Richie or Seth's, she doesn't know, maybe even both - slip between her legs and fingers start to work her expertly.

It's all too much, too intense and she's an incoherent mess in their arms, moaning, groaning, screaming out for more.

"Katie-Cakes."

Her eyes open at the eerily familiar whisper. She freezes, startled, spotting her dad standing a few feet away, shame and disappointment etched onto the crevices of his face. "Daddy?" she whispers.

"Woah, kinky," Seth murmurs in her ears. "Didn't think that would get you hot."

And just as suddenly as Jacob appeared, he's gone, and the wind is knocked out of her lungs, like somebody physically punched her. "Stop!" she screams, pushing Richie and Seth off. _Oh god_. What is wrong with her? What is she doing?

Richie gets up from the floor, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He's watching her with concern, as is Seth. "What's wrong?"

"You okay?" Seth asks at the same time.

She can't look them in the eyes. Her heart is pounding, her body still aching for release even as she's overcome with disgust at her own behaviour. Her skin is ice-cold and burning hot at the same time; she doesn't even know how that's possible.

"Kate, what's going on?"

Richie steps closer but she shoves him away. "Get your hands off me!" she screams. "I don't want you to touch me. _Ever_."

"You were screaming for it a minute ago," Richie fires back.

She looks at Seth who's standing there, frowning. He's so quiet, uncharacteristically so, and she wonders if it's because he saw her dad too. "You did see him, didn't you? He was right there." She points to where her father was standing. "He was watching us."

Seth exchanges a brief glance with Richie and then they both stare at her like she's going out of her mind and it makes her even more furious, angry.

_"The preacher wasn't here, Kate. You can't go back to being the preacher's daughter again. You can't be the good little girl that does everything daddy tells you to do. He's dead, Kate. And you're seeing things, going crazy, just like your Mama did."_

Richie isn't speaking but she can hear his thoughts in her head. His vicious, cruel thoughts, taunting her, punishing her.

Her insides squeeze with shame and anguish. "Don't you dare talk about them like that!"

"Talk about who?" Richie asks. He looks confused and afraid, and she doesn't understand how. Doesn't he realise she can hear his thoughts?

Both brothers close in on her, crowding her.

_"Why not?"_ There it is again, Richie's voice in her head. _"He's dead. He's gone. He's never coming back. And guess what? He's not a fucking angel watching over you either. So give up the charade and admit who you really are. A dirty, crazy whore, just like your mama was."_

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" She attacks Richie, scratching him, hurting him. "I _hate_ you! I _hate_ you!"

And then, suddenly, everything goes dark.


	26. Chapter 26

Richie moves swiftly, grabbing Kate before she collapses to the ground. "Kate! Kate!" He nudges her to wake up until Seth grips his arm, forcing him to pause.

"Richie, stop shaking her so goddamn hard! You're gonna hurt her."

Terrified, he looks to his brother for help. "I don't know what to do."

Seth puts his hand on Richie's shoulder, holding him close to comfort him. "We'll figure it out. Let's just get her back to the hotel first."

"I should give her some of my blood."

"No, don't!" Seth says right away. "Remember how it fucked her up the last time she had it?"

Richie shakes his head, grateful that his brother can still be rational while he seems to be falling apart. "Yeah, you're right."

"Let's get outta here," Seth says, helping him stand up.

As he carries Kate to the car, following behind Seth, fear courses through his veins, intensifying every minute. Her eyes are closed, her body fragile, and he feels utterly powerless to do anything for her, like all those times when he tried to protect Seth from their bastard of a father but failed.

Seth opens the door and helps Richie get into the back seat with Kate. "Be careful with her."

Richie nods, clinging to her while Seth moves to the driver's seat and starts the car. With Kate pressed against his chest, Richie grazes her temple, silently pleading with her to wake up. His gaze lands on his brother, noting how tightly Seth's fingers grip the steering wheel, how tense he is as he maneuvers the car through traffic. Seth may be acting calm but Richie knows well enough to realise it's just an act, probably for Richie's benefit or maybe even to assuage Seth's own worries, and that inside Seth is freaking out. When Santanico was fucking with _his_ head years ago, Seth behaved the same way. "You think Santanico's doing this to her."

"You don't?" Seth bites out.

"What the fuck does she want with Kate?"

"I don't know, Richard, but we've got more important things to worry about right now than that bloodsucking bitch."

"Maybe Santanico _is_ behind this but what if she isn't? What if Kate's sick? I mean, what if it's a tumour or something? We have to get her to the hospital."

"We can't take her to the fucking hospital, Richie. Think! What if someone recognises us? What happens to Kate if the cops are hauling our asses back to jail? Who's going to look out for her, protect her? We might as well hand Kate over to that bitch ourselves!" Seth says, his angry voice betraying the calm facade.

"Yeah, you're right. But we need-"

"I'll find someone to check her out, at the hotel."

Just then Kate trembles in Richie's arms, a soft moan escaping her lips. He peers at her, hoping she'll come to - she doesn't. He embraces her tightly. "She's going to be okay. She _has_ to be, right?"

Seth casts a quick glance at Kate's unconscious body. "Right. Nothing is gonna happen to her."

Richie wishes he could believe Seth, but his brother doesn't seem to be convinced of _his own_ words let alone reassure him.

* * *

Kate sits at the edge of the bed, watching horrified while her mom takes a knife and begins to slice her skin. There's blood everywhere, slowly filling up the ground, tainting the walls, an endless supply that never seems to end.

"Mom, please stop!" Kate begs, reaching out to help but Jennifer shoves her hand away.

Sobbing, she continues mutilating her arm.

"Why are you doing this?" Kate cries.

"I have to. It's the only way I can be at peace."

"How?" Kate demands. "You're hurting yourself, can't you see that?"

"This doesn't hurt as much as what you've done to me."

"What are you talking about?"

Her mom locks eyes with her and a piercing rush of fear runs through Kate's spine. Jennifer's eyes are pitch black, and a cold menacing smile curves across her face. "I died to protect you but I shouldn't have. I should have killed you instead."

She lunges at Kate, knife in hand.

The blade cuts through her skin like knife into butter, the pain so sharp Kate cries out in agony. And then, suddenly, she's lying on the beach, staring up at the stormy sky. She's still bleeding, hurting from the open wound, and as hard as she tries to take the knife out of her body, she can't. It doesn't shift, permanently attached to her.

"Here. Let me help you with that, pumpkin."

"Daddy!" she cries, tears of relief and joy burning her eyes.

Jacob pulls the blade out of her effortlessly and helps her sit up. No longer gushing blood, she feels safe once again. Loved and protected, like her daddy always made her feel. She rests her head on Jacob's shoulder, both sitting on the sand and watching the storm that's drawing threateningly close.

This all feels so familiar, like they've shared this moment time and time again.

Jacob takes her hand and brings it to his lips, pressing a loving kiss on her palm. "I miss you, Katie-Cakes."

"I do too, Daddy. So, so much."

"How's Scott?"

Guilt floods over her. "I don't know. I can't find him."

Her father gives her an affectionate smile. "When we brought him home, you were so jealous. You hated all the attention we paid him."

"I don't remember that."

"Doesn't mean it's not true."

Confused by his words, she peers at him closely but Jacob turns his attention back to the storm. The wind is howling, screeching actually, the air cold and gusty as rain pours down on them.

Jacob takes off his jacket and wraps it around her, holding her tight in his arms. "I never wanted to adopt, you know. I wanted a little boy who looked like me, or maybe my pa."

"But I thought you said you always planned to adopt."

He shrugs his shoulders. "You learn to lie, and then you convince yourself the lie is the real truth. It's the only way to cover up the disappointment when your kid turns out to be a monster."

A strange feeling creeps up in her stomach. She can't quite explain it, only that something doesn't feel quite right.

"But your mama was determined not to have another kid. She said you were enough, that passing her genes onto you was a mistake to begin with. I never really knew what she was talking about. Until, you know, she went crazy."

"Mama thought I was a mistake?" Kate asks, her voice trembling with tears.

"She thought you had her devil in you." He tucks his finger under her chin, smiling at her warmly. "Guess she was right."

"Don't say that!"

"Sometimes I wonder what I did to deserve my fate. But then I remember, I pressured my Jenny into having you. I forced her to bring you into this world and in turn it destroyed her. For that, I deserve to rot in hell."

"You don't mean that, Daddy!"

"I love you, Katie-Cakes. I always will." His eyes are loving, gentle, tugging at her heart. "But you're an abomination. You should never have been. And because of me, Jenny paid the price. She always knew you would turn out to be a whore, a filthy dirty whore. Just like she was before I met her."

Suddenly it all clicks, everything makes sense again. In one swift move she takes the bloody knife from the sand and drives it into her father's heart. Bruised and bleeding, he stares up at her in shock. "Honey?"

"You're not my father."

"Please don't do this, honey," he begs, pleading with her.

"I don't know what you are, and I don't care." She pushes the knife in deeper. "But you never, ever get to call me a whore again. And you definitely don't ever get to say nasty things about my family."

"You're making a mistake."

"No, I'm not." The storm is gone, the sky clears up. And she feels free again, like a burden has been lifted from her shoulders. "My dad was the most wonderful person in this world. And he loved me, and mama and Scott. He would never say the things you just did. You're not him! You're just pretending to be him."

Her father's body morphs and transforms into a gruesome creature, something about it oddly familiar. Kate steps back, but she isn't afraid. Not anymore. The creature flaps its wings, gives her a threatening smile.

"Stay away from them, Kate."

"Them? Who?" She feels a gentle sensation in her hand, like someone's squeezing her palm. "Seth and Richie?"

The creature's eyes narrow.

It dawns on Kate that the monster looks almost afraid. "Why?"

"Do as I say, or you'll regret it."

"Don't threaten me. I'm not afraid of you."

"You'll pay the price, and so will your brother."

Kate wakes up with a start, heart pounding heavily in her chest. It's dark, her surroundings strange and unfamiliar, and it takes her a second to realise that she's not in her hotel room but someone else's. The sound of something breaking brings her out of her docile state and she slides out of the bed, silent on her feet. Grabbing one of her heels from the floor, pointy side up, she tiptoes to the bathroom. The door is slightly ajar, and she can see someone hunched over the sink.

_Seth_.

His hand is bleeding, the mirror in front of him shattered in places. It looks like he deliberately punched the mirror, and she knows instinctively he would only be frustrated enough to do that if something happened to Richie.

"Seth, what's wrong? Where's Richie?"

He turns around, startled, staring at her.

"What happened to him? Is he okay?" she asks, throwing her shoe to the ground.

He remains quiet, still watching her like a hawk.

"Say something!" she bites out, rushing over to him.

He finally speaks. "You're fucking unbelievable, you know that?"

Before she can respond, he pulls her close and captures her mouth in a rough, desperate kiss.


	27. Chapter 27

Seth pulls her close, capturing her lips in a rough, desperate kiss. At first she's too stunned to respond but the intensity of the gesture and the way he clings to her is enough to pull her out of her stillness; she begins to reciprocate with equal frenzy, hands wrapping around his neck, fingers lacing through his hair. It's overwhelming and heady the way he possesses her, his hands cupping her butt, grinding her hips against his. His mouth starts trailing wet kisses down the length of her neck, teeth grazing her skin, and his hands... oh god, his hands sneak underneath her dress, caressing her inner thighs, teasing her with promises of a happy ending. "Seth, stop!" she exclaims, not wanting to complicate things further before they have a chance to talk.

"Sorry," he whispers in her ear, his breath labored, simply holding her in his arms.

She closes her eyes, breathing him in, losing herself in his soothing touch.

The peaceful moment only lasts a few seconds before her body starts craving more. Reluctantly she takes a step back to put some distance between them, averting her eyes from him. Things were so much more simpler when they lived together in Mexico, when he treated her like an annoying little sister and he was just a silly crush of hers. They were friends, just friends, and there wasn't this crazy tension between them.

"You okay?" he asks.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"You passed out."

She gives him a questioning look. "I did?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Just that we were in the garage..." Heat rises in her cheeks as the memory of Seth, Richie, their mouth and hands everywhere on her body comes rushing back. She looks away, starts sweeping aside the broken shards of glass sitting on the counter with a towel.

"You were out for hours," Seth says, watching her. "You scared the fuck out of us."

"Where's Richie?" she asks, remembering how upset Seth was before she was distracted by the kiss. "Did something happen to him?"

"No, he's fine."

"Then why did you break the mirror?"

He doesn't respond.

Her attention falls on his bruised finger, the blood now clotted. "Your hand," she says. "Let me clean that." Tending to his wounds is like falling into an old habit, something they've done many, many times during the year they lived together, but now as she turns on the tap and he moves closer, she realises maybe it wasn't a good idea to initiate this, not when her fingers are intertwined with his, the cold water a welcome contrast to the heat of his touch. "Where's Richie?"

"On a date with your favourite ranger."

"What?" Kate asks, panic unfurling in her stomach. "With Ranger Gonzales?"

"You know more than one ranger?"

"Freddie hates him, and _you_! He's gonna throw Richie in jail _if_ he doesn't kill him first."

"Not if it means helping you. Richie saw the ranger was calling your cell and he answered, told the prick you were in trouble."

"Don't call him a prick."

"He's called us worse."

"Yeah but you guys earned those names."

Seth cocks his eyebrow. "You sound like you're in love with the guy."

"When you and Richie ditched me, he was the only one I could turn to for help." She grabs the shaving lotion and pours it on Seth's bruised finger, feeling a small bout of satisfaction when he winces from the sting of the alcohol. "If it wasn't for him, I would've been vampire meat a long time ago. So call him whatever the hell you want, just don't do it in front of me."

"Whatever you want, princess."

She starts going through the vanity drawers.

"What are you looking for?"

"Bandages. I'm hoping there's some left behind. I know there's no point in asking if you have any."

"I do. In the first aid kit, with my other stuff, because you always used to nag me about carrying one all the time."

She remembers doing that, _a lot_, but she didn't expect him to still heed that advice. After he abandoned her, she assumed he returned to his old habits. "Good. Go put it on," she says, crossing her elbows. "Where are we anyway? I need to get back to my room. I want to take a shower."

"We brought all your stuff here. Didn't think it was a good idea to stay in yours in case the bloodsuckers came sniffing after you."

"Oh."

He leaves the bathroom to return with a fresh white robe a few seconds later. "Here. Figured you'd want this."

She takes it from him, once again surprised he remembers the little things she likes. "Thanks."

His gaze is keen, nerve-wracking yet hypnotic, and she finds herself unable to avoid it, instead getting more and more lost within him. And then he looks away quickly, like he can't bear the sight of her, and she remembers how much he hates revealing any vulnerabilities.

"I should call Richie," he says. "Let him know you're alright."

"Yeah, you do that. And tell him to come back. I need to talk to him about something."

"What?"

"I want to talk to _him_, not you."

His jaw clenches; he's irritated. "Why is that?"

"Because I don't have to do some kind of mental olympics to know where I stand with him."

Seth chuckles, the sound bitter. "Oh really? Two days ago you couldn't stand the sight of him."

"Yeah, well, I still don't trust him," she bites out, defensive. "But that's besides the point. At least he tells me how he feels, he puts it out there. He doesn't hide behind an apathetic mask just because he's scared."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

She debates keeping her mouth shut. After all, what would be the point? But then she remembers the sick feeling of being manipulated in her dreams, how easy it was for someone to use her fears against her - and she refuses to be silenced, not when she knows how freeing it is to beat her demons. "I know what Richie wants, and I know what I want, but what the hell do _you_ want, Seth?"

"Really? We're gonna do this now?"

She shakes her head, disappointed but not surprised. "I don't know why I even bothered. Of course you're not going to tell me how you feel. You probably don't even know. Or maybe you _do_ know and you're just ignoring your feelings and doing whatever Richie wants."

"Oh, so now I'm a pushover?"

"I don't know, Seth. Maybe. Sometimes I wonder if I even really knew you at all," she sighs. "Look, I'm tired."

"Oh no you don't, sweetheart," he interjects, stepping forward. "You don't get to hurl insults at me and then just walk away. That's not how this works."

"Because only _you_ get to do that?" she fires back. It's been years but she still remembers the pain of waking up in that motel room all by herself, how alone and betrayed she felt after reading his note and realising he abandoned her.

"We lived and hunted together, remember that? I taught you how to use a gun, how to throw knives, how to not be an annoying pain in the ass."

She casts him a defiant glance.

"And now you're claiming you don't even know me?"

"Seth." She tries her best to remain calm, to stop her voice from shaking. "Richie and I were never friends but you, it was different with you. You were my _friend_, my family. And then you threw me away like I was yesterday's trash."

"Yeah, to protect you. Which you damn well know."

"Now, yeah, maybe, but I didn't for years. And I wondered what I did wrong to drive you away. Did I talk too much? Did I yell too much? What if I was stronger, faster, prettier? What if I was a better fighter when we were hunting together? Would that have made you stay?"

He doesn't respond.

"I talked to Vanessa, you know."

"How? When?" he demands, annoyed.

"You left your cell in my room and she tracked it down. At first she thought you were cheating on her but I set her straight. And then we started talking and I realised there's so much you haven't told her. You were closed off with her too, like you were with me."

"Oh yeah, 'cause telling her about vampires sounds like such a great idea. Then she'd really have a reason to throw Richie in the loony bin. Hell, she'd probably stick me in there too!"

"And there it is, the excuse, you _always_ have an excuse. Some reason why you'll never open up to anyone." A sad smile forms across her lips. "What was the excuse with me? I was too young, too naive to understand anything about your feelings?" She peers at him closely. "Are you capable of letting anyone in who isn't your brother, Seth?"

"What do you want, Kate? An essay on my thoughts and feelings? Guess what, sweetheart, it's not gonna happen. And if you think Richie's gonna play ball on that front, you're in for a world of disappointment."

"You're wrong about him, you know, because he does open up. He messed up big, but he didn't make excuses for it. He just put himself out there, told me how he felt. He doesn't run from his emotions, he doesn't hide from them. It's one of the reasons why I'm in love with him, even though I wish I wasn't."

"Well, ain't that sweet," he mutters. "Make sure you let him know. He's all twisted up on the inside trying to prove how much he loves you."

"And you'd never do anything like that, right? It's beneath you, is it?"

Jaw set, eyes volatile, he draws closer, forcing her to retreat until she's trapped against the counter. He's close, so close, and her blood sings with excitement at the thought of being wrapped up in him.

"You want to know how I feel, Katie-cakes?" He mocks her, his voice filled with anger. "Maybe I'm not a poet like my brother. Maybe I'm a man of action, not words." He cups her face, closes his mouth over hers.

It's a kiss meant to taunt, to punish, his lips savage against hers, as if to remind her how easily she can succumb to him. And although her body reacts to his touch, she finds herself pulling away emotionally. Using all her strength she pushes him away, panting for air. "All that tells me is that you want to fuck me, Seth. Like I'm just another girl in a long list of them. And I deserve more than that from you."

His eyes are liquid pools of heat and rage, utterly confused yet filled with contempt. "What the _fuck_ do you want from me, Kate? What is it that you want to hear?"

_Tell me you love me_, _like I love you_. "Nothing," she replies.

"Because if it's some kind of magical words you want, you're gonna have to say it first."

Disappointed, she shakes her head. "Because Seth Gecko never puts himself out there for anyone, right?" She exhales a resigned sigh. "I want to take a shower, and then I want to talk to Richie. That's all."

"Fine, your fucking highness." He exits the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

Swiping the tears from her face, she starts to undress.

* * *

Pacing back and forth, Seth grows more annoyed by the second while he waits for Richie to pick up the cell. After what feels like a fucking eternity, his brother finally answers.

"What's wrong? Is she worse?" Richie asks on the other end, sounding frantic.

"She's fine, she's awake, but she's irritating the crap out of me so you need to get your ass back here now."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"She's just... she's in a very talkative mood. And she wants to discuss feelings and emotions and all this other crap that I don't want to get into."

"Last night you were crying about never hearing her voice again and now you're bitching about how much she's talking?"

"Hey, you do not bring that shit up, Richard! And don't you dare tell her anything either. That is between _you and me_, brother. "

"Seth, stop acting like a juvenile frat boy. You love her. You know it, I know it, and so does Kate."

"Actually, she doesn't. She keeps saying she has no idea how I feel."

"Then here's a thought. _Tell_ her. Think you can handle that?"

"How about you go fuck off?"

"Very mature, Seth."

Frustrated, Seth sits down on the edge of the bed. "I think you should come back here. I don't know how long I can be around her-"

"Without ripping her clothes off? Yeah, I know the feeling."

"Fuck off."

"You think I don't want to be there right now? Because I do. I wish I was there with the two of you but I'm supposed to meet up with Ranger Ricardo so we can go see some _brouja_-"

"Brou what?"

"Never mind that. I can't stand Ranger Asshole but I'm here, and I'm putting up with him because he says he can help Kate. So the least you can do is play nice and make sure she's alright."

Feeling guilty, Seth bites down on his bottom lip. "She seems to be fine now, just PMSing to the extreme."

"Yeah, but the attacks are only going to get worse unless we do something now. So stop being a fucking pussy, man up, and deal with your feelings. You lived with the girl for over a year. I think you can handle two fucking nights with her."

Before Seth can tell his brother to shove it, Richie hangs up the phone.

I know there are readers who veer towards Seth/Kate while others towards Richie/Kate. I, myself, am an unabashed Richie/Kate/Seth shipper. That being said, I do think it's important to show each couple alone to see why Kate loves both men and what sets each relationship apart. Anyway, as always, thank you for reading.

**A/N -I know there are readers who veer towards Seth/Kate while others towards Richie/Kate. I, myself, am an unabashed Richie/Kate/Seth shipper. That being said, I do think it's important to show each couple alone to see why Kate loves both men and what sets each relationship apart. Anyway, as always, thank you for reading.**


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